1905-1906." 437 



The fact that spiders were not insects was pointed out, and the 

 chief characteristics of both were shown on the screen, together 

 with a sHde showing the different forms and variety of colour 

 seen among spiders. In speaking of the anatomy special men- 

 tion was made of the mandibles and the spinnerets. The 

 mandibles contain a poison gland, the poison of which is fatal 

 to insects, and often to small animals. The bite of the spider 

 is seldom fatal to man, and then only when he is in a weak 

 state of health when bitten. Even ordinary spiders sometimes 

 bite man, and if bitten in a tender part of the body the bite 

 may be felt like the prick of a needle, and very occasionally 

 slight swelling results. The spinnerets may be from four to 

 eight in number, and each may contain from loo to i,ooo tubes. 

 Liquid silk is forced through these tubes, and solidifies on ex- 

 posure tO' the air, and the spider can unite as many threads as 

 it likes to make its compound line. It is stated that it takes 

 four million to make a line the thickness of a human hair. 

 Many attempts have been made to use the silk commercially, 

 but they have all failed, mainly owing to the cannibalistic 

 propensities of the spiders. The making of the various kinds 

 of snares was next dealt with, and illustrations of the different 

 kinds shown. Afterwards the various spiders which dO' not 

 make snares were discussed, such as mygale, the bird-catching 

 spider, which is of a large size ; the various trapdoor spiders, 

 which make holes in the ground and close them with a spring 

 door; running and jumping spiders, water spiders, &c. The 

 courtship of spiders is very interesting, the female nearly always 

 being the "better half." In an extreme case the proportion 

 between male and female was the same as if a man of six foot 

 and 1501b. weight married a woman of 75 or 80 feet and 

 2oo,ooolb. weight. Courtship is usually, therefore, a risky 

 thing for the male spider, and it is frequently cut short by the 

 female catching and eating him. The eggs are laid in cocoons 

 of silk, which are sometimes very pretty, both in shape and 

 colour. Sometimes they are left, but usually the female spider 

 takes care of the cocoon, often carrying it about 

 with her, and resisting all attempts to relieve her of it. The 



