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Show SPIDERS ARE NOT VERY DANGEROUS The famous tarantula, reported to be one of the terrors of the arid parts of the Southwestern states and northern Mexico, and which bulks so large in the imagination and the fears of those persons who have friends on the border, Is really not the tarantula of history and of fable. One of the numerous students of spiders nnd the tarantula is a spider says of ihnt terrifying insect thnt it is the Lycosa tarantula, a kind of spider found In some of the warmer parts of Italy and Spain. When full grown it is about "the size of a chestnut and of n brown color. "Its bite was at one time supposed to be dangerous," says this authority, "and to cause a kind of 'dancing disease,' dis-ease,' but it Is now known not to be worse than the sting of a common wasp." It Is very likely that when the early Spanish explorers came upon the great spider of the Southwest, South-west, and seeing a good deal of resemblance to the tarantula of the old world those explorers not having been scientific entomologists they called the new spider a tarantula, and the name has stuck. There is no doubt that the big spider of Arizona, Ari-zona, New Mexico, California, old Mexico and many other places is a relative of the tarantula of Spain and Italy, and In color, disposition and in ' the matter of his hairy legs a layman might easily mistake him for the tarantula. But perhaps there is not much in a name so far as spiders go, and it Is Just as well to avoid If possible thnt particular particu-lar spider which so many Americans call the tarantula, taran-tula, though it Is quite certain that the meanness mean-ness of his disposition has been-exaggerated. J. II. Kmerton, one of the spider experts of the world, writes, after years of IntUuate study of spiders : "When undisturbed, spiders never bite anything except insects useful as their food, but when attacked or cornered all species open their jaws nnd bite if they enn, depending on the size nnd strength of their jaws. The stories of death, Insanity and lameness from the bites of spiders are probably untrue." The species of spider are hard to number. The spiders of North America have been studied by Hentz, Emerton, Keyserling and Thorell, and no doubt by a number of other men who have specialized spe-cialized In insects, and it is estimated that there are S00 species In North America. The spider has heart, liver, stomach, intestines, thorax, lungs and several other Interesting organs, ns, for example, ex-ample, the spinning glands and spinnerets. It Is recorded that a good many experiments have been made to throw light on the effect of spider bites on mnn. A distinguished entomologist, entomolo-gist, named rertkau. allowed various kinds of spiders to bite his hand. Some of them drew blood, giving a sensation like that of a sharp needle prick. The wounds smarted and swelled somewhat and Itched when rubbed, producing very much the sensation of mosquito bites, but no permanent per-manent ill effects followed. Another entomologist, entomolo-gist, named Blackwell, also allowed specimens of the big spiders to bite his hand. He reported thnt he felt no particular pain and little Inflammation Inflam-mation followed, nnd the wounds soon healed. Still another entomologist, named Doleschall, reported re-ported thnt he hnd shut up small birds with the Mygale, one of the biggest nnd fiercest of the spider tribe. The birds soon died after being bitten. He allowed one of his fingers to be bitten by a lnrge jumping spider. The pnln was severe and hl finger and then his hand and arm became lame, but the soreness soon passed away. The Mygnle is one the best-known of the large and heavy spiders. It Is a native of tropical and subtropical America. It is said that it catches and kills small birds with Its poisonous bite and then sucks the blood of its victims. The body of this spider Is pitch black and is covered with long reddish-brown hair. It has eight eyes placed close together In the front of Its head. It Is a' close kinsman to the so-called bird spider of Surinam. The official name of that American spider called the tarantula Is Ctenizn California, and It Is one of the trapdoor spiders. It is common In New Mexico. Arizona, and California. According to John Sterling Kingslej" this spider digs its hole In a fine soil -which when dry is nearly as hard as brick. These spider holes are sometimes nearly an inch in dinmetermnd vary In depth from two and three inches to nearly a foot. The mouth of the hole Is enlarged and then closed by a thick cover which fits it tightly. Thnt cover fits Into the mouth of the hole very much ns a cork does In the neck of a bottle. The cover Is made of dirt fastened together with threads nnd, like the hole, is lined with silk and Is fastened by a thick hinge made of spider's silk. When the cover is closed it looks exactly like the ground around It. ' This, like many other species of spider, is nocturnal In its habits, raising Its trapdoor at night and sallying forth In search of food, Its chief food being Insects. There Is so much diversity of opinion ns to the effect of the bite of these spiders that In 11 ring where they are a man should practice safety first and tqke no chances with them. |