Although very few spiders are dangerous to humans, the group as a whole still provokes fear and loathing among many people. Spiders of the World describes these intriguing creatures with their highly individual life styles, their variety, and their beauty in a thought-provoking manner. The opening chapters on the structure of spiders and their relationships to each other and to invertebrates in general provide, in a very readable form, sufficient background for an appreciation of the subsequent chapters on behavior. Their astonishing defense mechanisms, particularly mimicry and camouflage, are also discussed.