SPIDERS AND WASPS. 97 



believe the bite of a spider causes sickness and deatb. 

 And a Florida "cracker" gravely informed me that 

 the bite of an ant — a species of Camponotus that 

 makes its home in fallen timber — would give them 

 "the fever." 



Fallen trees on the barrens that would make several 

 cords of excellent wood would at once be abandoned by 

 the chopper if these ants were found in them. But we 

 need not go to Florida to find the existence of senseless 

 superstition. 



The handsome large black and yellow spider Argiope 

 is perhaps the most dreaded, on Account of its large 

 size and bright colors. A fine specimen of this species 

 had hung her pretty geometric web in a blackberry 

 bush in a large field devoted to this fruit. On walking 

 through the field I noticed the pickers had, day after 

 day, left the fruit on this bush, and I supposed they did 

 not wish to disturb the spider. At last she was gone, 

 and upon making inquiries I learned that a woman 

 more courageous than the rest had armed herself with 

 a large stick and killed the monster ! 



This beautiful creature, with her exquisite web, is 

 one of the most charming studies in nature — 



"The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine! 

 Feels at each thread, and lives along the line." 



She is readily tamed, and her solicitude over her great 

 pear-shaped cocoon of eggs is often quite pathetic. 

 Some species. of wasps are very interesting studies. 



