American Spiders and their Spinning Work; a Natural History of the Orb-weaving Spiders of the United States, with Special Regard to their Industry and Habits

Abstract

VOLS. i. and ii. of this work have been already noticed in these columns. (See NATURE, vol. xlii., p. 244, 1890; Ibid, xliii., p. 74, 1890.) The volume before us completes the work, and bears date 1893; but it was only issued to the public at the end of 1894. To the general reader this is a matter of little consequence, but to the specialist it is often important, for it frequently happens, as in this instance, that new genera and species are characterised and described; it then often becomes necessary to decide, on the questions of priority that may rise, as exactly as possible when such descriptions were made, and the date inscribed on the work, it is manifest, cannot be implicitly relied upon.

American Spiders and their Spinning Work; a Natural History of the Orb-weaving Spiders of the United States, with Special Regard to their Industry and Habits.

By Henry C. McCook Vol. iii., with descriptions of orb-weaving species and plates (pp. 1–284, pl. 1–30). (Published by the Author, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, A.D. 1893.)