it may be that only under certain uncomprehended conditions is the venom of the latrodectus effective. inoculation of guinea pigs with the poison has been without any resultant symptoms. scientific experimenters have suffered themselves to be bitten and have experienced no ill effects. the foreign cousins of the american species, however, have as evil a repute as the "mactans." the "katipo," found in sedges on the beach of new zealand, is dreaded by the maoris, who traditionally refuse to sleep nearer than half a stone's throw from the water, that being the extent of range of the spider. the latrodecti of corsica, algeria, and france are infamous in the lore of the country folk, which fact must be regarded as strongly evidential, when their insignificant appearance is taken into account.
only in america is there no popular fear of this really formidable little creature. yet it is found in almost every part of the united states, though by no means one of the commoner spiders. in the past five years i have seen two specimens at my country place in central new york, and have heard of a dozen others. if people understood generally that this rather ornamental insect is both more perilous to life and health, and rather more prone to attack human beings, than the superstitiously dreaded "deadly" copperhead, there would probably be a heavy mortality in the latrodectus family at the hands of energetic house-cleaners.
