(26) ARACHNIDA - ORDER VII: ARANEIDEA - SECRETION OF POISON
Before concluding our remarks on the internal structure of the Araneidea, two of their special properties must be shortly-noticed -- the secretion of the poison injected into the wounds made by the fangs of the falces, and the secretion of the matter emitted as silken threads through the spinning organs.
The poison is secreted in two small elongated sacs (one for each of the falces), situated within the cephalo-thorax on either side of the alimentary canal; the sacs are connected with a membranous channel in each of the falces, the channel running completely through the fang, from an orifice near the end of which the poison is pressed out by the spider in the act of wounding its prey. On the venomous nature of the poison some remarks have already been made. As to its venom in British spiders, see "Blackwall's Experiments," Trans. Linn. Soc. Xxi. Pp. 31-37. The result of these interesting experiments is contrary to the generally received ideas as to the great virulence of spider poison.
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Arachnida - Table of Contents