1920.] Smith.—Parasitism in New Zealand Spiders. 15 
December last, I collected over forty spiders in the native bush, all of 
which I submitted to the heat test. A few of them had died or been 
killed by others in the large tin box containing them, but of the three 
dozen healthy forms not one yielded a Gordius. I tried nineteen spiders 
collected on the margin of the Ratapihipihi Bush, but no Gordius were 
obtained from them. Last summer and autumn were cold and humid in 
Taranaki, and all the species of Gordius were rare in the lakes and shallow 
swamps compared with the preceding hot season, when they were numerous. 
Spiders representing many genera are capable of enduring intense heat 
in the test-globe without any perceptible injury. 
Not having been able to consult much of the literature dealing with the 
Nematomorpha, I cannot cite a case of any species of the group having 
previously been recorded parasitic on spiders. The British arachnologist 
to whom I have sent many specimens of native spiders was evidently 
unaware of Gordius attacking them, for on receiving three specimens of 
the latter he gravely inquired “ if I was sure that the worms came from 
the bodies of spiders.” Neither Staveley nor Pocock in their work on 
British spiders has mentioned Gordius as being parasitic in any European 
species. Professor P. Chalmers Mitchell, in his article “ Parasitism,”* 
states “ the larvae of Bombyllidae are endoparasites of the larvae of 
mason-wasps, and some of the Cyrtidae similarly infest spiders,” but there 
is no mention of Gordius attacking them. 
Several large species of native spiders, especially such as live in 
damp cavities under decaying logs in the native forests, are occasionally 
infested, on their under-parts, by a species of Acarus akin in form and 
colour to the red spider (Tetranychus telarius Linnaeus) but more robust in 
structure. The same species also infests beetles of the genus Pterostichus, 
w T hich also generally occur under damp logs. Gordius will probably be 
found in many species of spiders and beetles, more especially those living 
near their haunts. The spiders yield the largest specimens of Gordius 
in the months of December and January. These parasitic worms are 
generally most numerous in the month of February, when they appear 
after warm rains. 
In the humid and mild climate of Taranaki parasitism is more general 
and more destructive alike to nearly all classes of both the endemic and 
exotic animals and plants than in any other area in New Zealand. At 
present I know of no parasites of Gordian worms. Young crayfish taken 
from the lakes in Pukekura Park and kept in captivity will eat them 
freely. Spiders and beetles being plentiful and readily procurable in Tara¬ 
naki, I intend to continue further experiments with them on the lines that 
I have described. It should be of interest to ascertain how many species 
of these two groups are the hosts of Gordius . 
Postscript.— Since the foregoing was written I have been able, by the 
kindness of Mr. Renaud, of New Plymouth, to consult a new work, entitled 
Fresh-water Biology , by H. B. Ward and G. C. Whipple, two American 
biologists. On page 537 of the fine work they enumerate eight American 
species parasitic in several groups of animals, and add, “ but less frequently 
in spiders.” The volume is the only one that I have been able to consult 
on spiders being parasitized by Gordius. 
* Enc. Brit ., vol. 20, p. 795. 
