Yet more erroneous is the popular view of the spider's noxious and injurious character. That a few species may and occasionally do in flict a wound that may cause suffering and under peculiar conditions even death is doubt less true; although it is nearly impossible to verify current reports of injury and death caused by a so-called *black which, as it commonly turns out, had simply been seen somewhere near the victim. That insects inflict wounds which may be serious tinder certain unfavorable conditions is well known, and the possibilities for great damage to the human family by flies and mosquitoes is now estab lished. But spiders may be ranked among the least dangerous to man of the small and most familiar invertebrates. The writer has been struck by large lycosids (ground-spiders) and has compelled one of our largest orbweavers to wound him, without more serious conse quences than the prick of a pin. A mosquito's puncture, on the contrary, causes a painful hurt, with an inflamed area the bigness of a silver dollar surrounding the central white swelling. This will show that personal idiosyncrasies are factors in the danger to man of a spider wound, as of an insect's. Admitting the worst, how ever, the credit side of the spider account is so large that the reverse is scarcely worth men tion. Insects are known to be serviceable in the fertilization of many plants. The bee has been domesticated for the edible product of her cells and the silkworm for its cocoon fibre. But beyond these and a few other exceptions the insect hordes arc among our most destruc tive domestic foes. Farm, garden, orchard and plantation can be profitable only by vigilant and unremitting warfare upon these destroyers American works the student may obtain needed help. Among them are 'Spiders of the United States' by Professor Hentz, the father of Ameri can arancology; Dr. McCook's 'American Spiders and their 3 vols., folio, profusely illustrates structure and habits and gives classification of Orbweavers: the studies by Prof. Geo. W. and Mrs. Elizabeth G. Peckham of general habits are most interesting and their work on the 'Attidw' is quite complete; 'The Common Spiders of the United States) by J. H. Emerton is a good popular treatise; 'Catalogue whose inroads cost the nation hundreds of mil lions yearly. But spiders injure no food-plant
or other product of human industry. In fields and groves, orchards and outhouses they are not only absolutely innocuous, but are engaged in ceaseless warfare upon the enemies of man's prosperity, comfort and health. Their chief food is insects, and day and night they pursue that function which nature has assigned them and keep in check the myriads of insects that otherwise would overwhelm us. It is doubtful if civilized man could successfully cultivate or even inhabit the earth, if it were not for these despised benefactors, unless nature were to pro vide some other agency to hold even the balance of helpful and harmful life. Even when spiders enter our homes and spin their cobwebs in our porches, halls and chambers, they come upon the wholesome errand of clearing our prem ises of irritating and dangerous guests. It is pitiful that these benefactors of our race should be the subjects of unsparing obloquy and hate and should be slain at sight without compunc ti on.
Bibliography.— The literature of spiders is too abundant to be here cited; hut from several of the Described Aranem of Temperate North America,' by the late Dr. George Marx of the Smithsonian Institution, is valuable; Nathan Banks of the National Museum, Washington, has written some important papers, as also has Prof. Thos. Montgomery of the University of Texas, Austin. Among foreign works one should know the 'Histoire Naturelle des Araig nees> of M. Eugene Simon. Among British authorities consult 'Blackwell's Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland) and the works of Dr. Pickard. Emerton, J. H., 'The Common Spiders of the United States) (Boston 1902) ; Fabre, J. H. C., 'The Life of the Spider) (New York 1913) ; Keyserling, E., Graf, 'Die Spinnen Amerikas) (Vol. IV, Nurnberg 1892) ; McCook, H. C., 'American Spiders and their 'Spinning Work) (3 vols., Philadelphia 1889-93) ; Petrunkevitch, A., 'A Synonymic Index Cata logue of Spiders of North, Central and South America, etc.' (in American Museum of Natu ral History Bulletins, Vol. XXIX, New York 1911) ; Warburton, C., (Cambridge 1912).