What's In A Name?

It is fun sometimes to look at the search terms that bring people to your blog.

The site stats keep a list and on todays it shows, amongst others, "goliath bird eating tarantulas and their 9 eggs". My friend Mr Key at Hooting Yard says his number one search term is 'bees' closely followed by ectoplasm. Eat your heart out Frank. Actually my number 1 in terms of frequency is 'Shane MacGowan' which pleases Mrs B no end.

Still, I guess its down to my mentioning Goliath Bird Eating spiders in reference to my little Phiddipus jumping spider a couple of weeks ago. Its the 'and their 9 eggs' bit of the search  that tickled me.

But it also provides a good excuse to post the original illustration that led to 'bird eating spiders' getting the name.

The drawing is by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717). This remarkable lady, Dutch by birth, spent many years in Surinam and recorded much that was new and exotic. Her drawing of a large spider dragging  a hummingbird from its nest was a sensation and the legend of the 'bird eating spider' was born.

Hmmmm now I have mentioned ectoplasm I might get as many hits as Hooting Yard!