Texas Nature Observations and Reminiscenses Page: 52
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52 TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES.
to submit a lengthy report on Tex-
as prairie spiders and others, con-
jointly with numerous photo illus-
trations which are now also re-
produced herewith, and the iead-
ers undoubtedly will recall most of
the different tynes they may hare
met on their hunting trips. These
photos are all original, and as
seen in nature.
As stated, Texas harbors in cer-
tain favored localities numerous
spiders of more or less vituperous
type; but the majority are entire-
ly harmless, and many are useful
creatures. During summer and
especially during the breeding
time some species are exceedingly
vicious. At this time they prepare
their delicate breeding nests either
underground, or in hollows of
trees, under logs and rocks and
the loose bark of trees, old rotten
wood, etc. In gardens they are es-
pecially dreaded at this time, on
account of occasionally invading
the fruit trees, in particular ba-
nanas, grape vines and ripe grape
bunches etc. Undisturbed by their
many enemies-man and birds and
wasps, they are entirely harmless
and in one way useful. In the Is-
land of Madagascar, it is well
known, the natives gather the spi-
der web material of a particular
spider species directly from the
spider's spinning apparatus. It is
of yellowish-gold color and glitters
like silk, and the most delicate
and costly fabrics are woven from
the silk-like spinning material of
these useful insects and there ex-
ist special spinning factories in
which the natives prepare the
most gorgeous silk-like domestic
products known in the world.
In Texas the most dangerous
species known is the small speck-
led snider belonging to the ge-
nus Letrodactus Mactams and
Phydippus Trinunctatus, a small,
jet black or brown Tarantula,
striped with white, orange yellow
or vermillion red specks on its up-
per abdomen.These spiders have, camparative-
ly, short but powerfully strong
fangs and legs, a very large quad-
rangular head and thorax, and
four to six very sharp eye lenses.
They jump a far distance to catch
their prey-mostly flies and other
insects.
The poison of these spiders is
contained in a poison receptacle
near the headparts, and it commu-
nicates in tubules with the small
but sharp and curved fangs. The
venom is of an oily consistency
and even a very minimal quantity
produces so severe venom-inocula-
tion symptoms that it is consid-
ered more venomous, comparative-
ly, than the venom of a rattle-
snake. The curved venom claws
can be seen at the end part of the
strong mandibles in the form of
deep steelblue and glittering pro-
jections, and more so if viewed
with a magnifying glass.
The inoculation symptoms are
either of local or of systemic na-
ture, according to the amount of
venom and the parts inoculatedl.
Generally a severe sting is felt,
with inflammation or blisters af-
terwards; or the venom is ab-
sorbed rapidly into the blood arid
lymph current, and symotoms of
a severe nervous nature, with
pain radiating over the abdomen.
chest and spine set in--as if a
band was tightly constricting the
body. In such severe cases vomit-
ing spells occur and the heart
centers may be affected-- ymp-
toms similarly occuring in snake-
bite.
The medical ,profession occa-
sionally meets with such cases, and
I recall a case that happened some
years ago which I treated with
Dr. Cafferey: A young lady from
the Salado settlement was bitten
on her leg by one such spider and
she suffered excruciating pain
and nervous attacks before being
relieved under special treatment,
and it was over two hours before
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Menger, R. Texas Nature Observations and Reminiscenses, book, 1913; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143558/m1/56/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Texas Health Science Center Libraries.