The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1896-12-09
ms hife rs DEADLY.
People shonId Beware OF Pretty Yellow
Spotted Spider.

People Shonid Beware OF a Pretty Yellow
Spotted Spider.
Next time anybody is bitten by a
"poisonous black spider" he will
confer favor on Professor ii. III.
Behr if he will refrain from orush-
ing it long enough to give tho pro-
fessor chance to be bitten too. He
would like to demonstrate to that
part of tho public who feel fnicky
about such things that the bite of
the same poisonous black spider
is really absolutely harmless and no
moro painful than the sting of a
wasp or mosquito or oven a flea of
the California genus. Mr.. Behr is
professor of entomology and aTane-
ology and few other sciences at the
big academy in Market street, and
what he doesn't know about Insects
of all kinds III hardly worth talking
about.
But if any ono should happen to
be bitten by small "black spider"
with four or five scarlet spots on its
back he had better prepare to guz-
zle brandy for day or two while a
strong armed attendant rubs am
monia into thewound with ono hand
and keeps the victim from squirIn-
ing with the other. Tho professor
calls that little spotted insect the
Latrodeotes maotans and says 1T is
the most yenomous of all spiders,
not even excepting the tarantula,
which is about ten times as big. 1t is
ordinarily MT bigger thana French
pea. but boasts of considerably more
beauty than is commonly found
among spiders.
It's body is round and covered with
beautiful velvety black growth of
short fuzzy hair, with the scarlet
spots aforementioned on its back.
1t has eight rather long legs for such
small body and eight Dyes, though
they cannot be taken as distinguish.
ing features of this particular style,
as the professor sail spiders have
eight legs and an equal number of
eyes. But it is by tho location of tho
eyes in tho anatomy of tho insect
that the .classifications arc mado,
and as there are some 5000 or 5000
speoies known to araneologists it is
no small task to distinguish (which
is which," This one, however, may
be told by the fact that four of its
eyes are located in squad in front,
with the remaining four grouped in
pairs on zach side of it's head and n
littlo to tho roar of the others. The
eyes arc bullying and CLASSY and of n
doep greenish hue. It's mandiblcs
arc not worry large, but, as many vic
tins can attest, arc capable of doing
great damage It's action is quick
and alert.
Professor Behr laughs at tho idea
that tho bito of tho Latrodectos mao
tans is fatal, but ho admits TINT tho
pationt suffers tho most raoking tor
lures for several days, aftor which,
if ho has been properly treated, re-
oovcry is certainty. He says that
many persons may have died from
fright, but never from tho poisonous
effects of tho bitc. Tho tarantula,
which is so universally dreaded, is,
after all, according to Professor
Behr, not at all dangerous. Though
its bite causes considerable pain and
swelling about tho wound, he says
it is not fatal. It's bite is not nearly
SO dangerous as that of tho katipo;"
but, bo that as it may, it is moro
formidable and ugly looking, and
ono might as we'll be poisoned as
scared to dcath.-San Francisco Elk
nminer.