322 



Marvels of the Universe 



the greatest length hitherto recorded being only about three inches ; they are, ho\ve\-er, stoutly 

 built, and the length and thickness of their long, hairy limbs, which in the largest kinds may span 

 over eight inches, make them look far bigger than they are in reality, and give them the appearance 

 of equalling a rat in size. They can run with astounding speed ; but for the most part they are extra- 

 ordinarily lethargic, although they will fight fiercely if interfered with. Their weapons of offence 

 and defence are a pair of strong steel-like piercing fangs, which may be half an inch long and, like 

 the fangs of a rattlesnake, are perforated at the tip to emit the poison secreted by a gland lodged 

 in the jaw. The virulence of this poison may be guessed from the fact that a frog was quickly killed 

 by the bite of a comparatively small South African spider of this group, and that a kitten was made 

 violently sick by a wound from an Australian spider, also of small dimensions. 



Photo 6y] 



\_E. Step, F.L.S. 

 SPIDER AND HUMMING BIRD. 



implies, subsist upon birds, but they are known occasionally to catch and kill 



1 hese big spiders do not. as their nam 

 humming-birds as well as lizards and mice. They kill their prey — mostly insects — by means of a pair 

 fangs, half an inch long. 



of sharp, poisonous 



But these spiders are protected by other attributes than their poison-glands. Although the 

 long hairs which clothe the body and limbs are seemingly soft and silky, they are nevertheless exceed- 

 ingly penetrating, and since thej' set up irritation in the human hand which has been described 

 as maddening, it is evident that to the sensitive skin of the palate and tongue they must cause 

 excruciating pain. A cat, indeed, has been known almost to die from the effects of eating a portion 

 of one of these spiders. 



Now, animals provided with poison-glands, sharp spines or irritating bristles commonly possess 

 some special means of self-advertisement by which they make themselves known to possible enemies 

 by appeahng to their sense of sight or hearing. The rattle of the rattlesnake and porcupine, the 

 hood of the cobra and the black-and-j^ellow colouring of humble-bees and wasps are illustrations of 

 this. Many Bird-eating Spiders are doubly endowed in this way. They are often conspicuously 



