Old Farm Fairies: A Summer Campaign In Brownieland Against King Cobweaver's PixiesMcCook, Henry C. (Henry Christopher)
Science
Old Farm Fairies: A Summer Campaign In Brownieland Against King Cobweaver's Pixies
McCook, Henry C. (Henry Christopher)
Insects -- Juvenile literature; Spiders -- Juvenile literature
=Note A, p. 290.=--The sting of the spider collecting wasps destroys the
power of motion, but does not at once kill; it is certainly fatal in the
end, if the young wasp larva does not in the meantime eat the victim
stored away for her by maternal foresight.
CHAPTER XXX.
=Note A, p. 309.=--Spiders have been known to thus suspend a snake, which
is not so remarkable as it seems if we consider that a small garter
snake ten inches long may weigh from one-eighth to one-fourth of an
ounce.
=Note B, p. 313.=--The Medicinal spider, Tegenaria medicinalis HENTZ,
builds in cellars and shady spots a strong sheeted web with a tower at
one angle thereof.
=Note C, p. 314.=--The capture of a mouse in a spider web has been proved,
at least to the author's satisfaction. Fig. 135 is a sketch of such a
captive made by Governor Proctor Knott, of Kentucky.
=Note D, p. 319.=--This "fish story" is quite true. The incident occurred
in a draining ditch near Eagleswood, New Jersey. The fish was three and
one-fourth inches long and weighed sixty-six grains; the spider was
three-fourths of an inch long and weighed fourteen grains. It was one of
our large Lycosids, probably a Dolomedes The facts on which the
incidents of this chapter are based, are given in Vol. I, "American
Spiders and their Spinningwork."
CHAPTER XXXI.
=Note A, p. 324.=--Most species of Spiders are solitary in their habits;
not like the social hymenoptera, as bees and ants. In this respect, the
social characteristics of the Pixies are not true to nature, except in
the case of spiderlings, or quite young spiders. However, some recent
discoveries, especially those of the eminent French araneologist, M.
Eugene Simon, seem to point to a decided social habit in several South
American species.
=Note B, p. 329.=--This nest, so much like a bird's in form, is that of
Lycosa Carolinensis. It is made from the needle-like leaves of the white
pine, or other available material by bending and pasting the same, as in
the cut, Fig. 138.
=Note C, p. 330.=--The snares of Agalenanævia are often seen in such
situations, and are sometimes of immense size.
=Note D, p. 331.=--The belief that spiders can prognosticate the weather
is widely spread, but seems to have little or no basis in fact. The
author has shown the groundlessness of the opinion at least in the case
of Orbweaving Spiders.
"Tenants of an Old Farm."
Leaves from the Note Book
of a Naturalist.
... BY ...
HENRY C. MCCOOK, D.D.,
with 140 illustrations from nature by Dan Beard
and others.
460 PAGES WITH INDEX.
EIGHTH EDITION.
12mo, Cloth $1.50.
Sent postpaid on
receipt of the price
by the Publishers,
George W. Jacobs & Co.,
103 South Fifteenth Street,
PHILADELPHIA.
TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM.
PRESS NOTICES.
The following extracts from reviews of this book show with what
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