. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 55 of fact it is not very long since the far- mers of a certain district on the North Coast of New South Wales applied for a period of protection to be proclaimed for these two snakes, as it was proved beyond doubt that they kej)t the ral)bit pest well under. These snakes are sel- dom found doing' damage around settled parts when wild game is available, but, when they do trespass, it is only natu- ral that the jaoultry yard suffers, Poultry-eating snakes are luckily rare, and they generally pay the penalty. 1 kn
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 55 of fact it is not very long since the far- mers of a certain district on the North Coast of New South Wales applied for a period of protection to be proclaimed for these two snakes, as it was proved beyond doubt that they kej)t the ral)bit pest well under. These snakes are sel- dom found doing' damage around settled parts when wild game is available, but, when they do trespass, it is only natu- ral that the jaoultry yard suffers, Poultry-eating snakes are luckily rare, and they generally pay the penalty. 1 know of one diamond ,-nake which en- tered a poultry run near Sydney, and, after eating a plump fowl, found that its added proportions would not allow it to escape through the wire netting; in the morning it was found coiled up asleep, and the farmer made sure that it would never wake again. Spiders, Poisonous and Otherwise, By Anthony Musgrave. The Huntsman Spider, Isopeda vil- losa, or, as it is more pojjularly called, the "triantelope," is a creature familiar to all Australians. Though usually found lurking under the bark of trees, where it may freijuently be seen mount-. Triantelope (Isopeda villofa) with egg sac on a piece of bark. Plioto—C. Chitton. ing guard over its white egg-sac, it sometimes invades houses on the ap- proach of wet weather, and its giant and hairy form causes trepidation amongst the feminine occupants there- of. Certainly one can hardly help be- traying an involuntary shudder at the thought of such a repulsive looking creature falling down the back of one's neck. Witli crab-like gait, it ascends the walls and explores the ceiling in search of flies, and, if unmolested, does good work in ridding the house of these noxious insects. Though the "triante- lope," like all other spiders, is equiiDped with poison glands, there is little likelihood that tlie small amount of venom it secretes in order to kill its jjrey could seriously affect
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