The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-07-01
Spiders at Work.

The garden spider EPsrad dsd0eMo) -
evidently guided to her prey more by touch
than sight:
The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine!
Feels at each thread, and lives long the line.
Unlike the common house spider drama
domestica). which rushes straight at her prey,
ond draos it vnce with her mouth into her
den. toSe killed and eaten in darkness, the
geometric spider, even if a fly be caught
near her hiding place, runs first to the centre
to discover the whereabouts OF her prey.
Unlike the house spider. too. she kills the
av on the web where it is caught: the rap
id death of the victim showing the vlru-
| lence Of the spiders poison, which is dis
titled into the wound through hollow fangs
like those of a serpent. If the fly be
small one-say midge-and lies perfectly
still when eau ht, the spider will feel all the
strands in the centre round and round two
or three times before finding on which part
of the net the little titbit lies. When a
| wasp is caught, if the spider cannot see her
woy to a safe blow, she will either weave her
enemy in a stronger mesh and wait till the
WASH is almost dead by exhaustion, or II
her network be in danger Of being all brok.
en- IN by such strong intruder, she Will
cut the threads that hold it and let her dan
gerous customer 60. There is little black
fly, shaped like an ant, but smaller, OFTEN
caught in one of these circular nets. which
frequently escapes by wriggling itself clear.
Whether it is furnished with some sharp
weapon of defense, or has the power some
beetles are well known to possess OF emit
ting pungent essence against It's enemies
would be difficult to determine: but Inc
spider soon beats retreat when she mas
she has caught Tartar, anu either allows
1t to wriggle itself free, or waits at a con
vienient distance untilthe fly is completely
exhausted by its wriggles Unless the ny
killed on the open web be q very smai one
the garden spider does not carry her prey
to her den in her mouth, but wraps II mp II
4 bundle in a kind Of sling, and runs 10 ne
e lair with her victim hanging down oehin'
her-cieverly preventing the loosely hunl
(; bundle from getting entangie on the way
Il Depositing her booty at the entrance OF ne
tunnel-shaped home, she qAeily enjoys ne
meal, sucks the body dry, usually removing
: all traces of her recent slaughter. Whel
i another spider appears upon the scene
!. however, her demeanor Is very diHerent
l Gathering as many strands of her web as pos
sible in her sawhke claws--which, VINE
T, magnihed. look proportionately much NOR
D, formidable than those OF the hon-sn
10 gives them violent shake when the N
lie truder generally ..cuts's and runs. II "a
invader declines TO meve on when thu
OIL warned. but shows fight instead, It IS cur
y Gus to mark the cautious way they approse
y each other, evidently conscious the e
d counter means death to one or bot
e Spreading out their legs on each side, as
Il. to guard against side attack, and reachir
l. Hail frra Inng
4 open wide their jaws and look very forml
rs able indeed. each presenting to the other
ed s.horrid front" 1t is q duel in which q
u one that can plant the FIRST well direc.
e blow conouers Once let the fangs Of Z
III one be planted in the others body, ana
" one seized will curl itself up and quIe'
as yield to an inevitable doom. II Is que
srs ton. if. in their personal encounters WI
'us each other, those cunning creatures 90
II fgh, with full knowledge of how to
ne the poisoned weapons independently
their fangs. When approaching one
zee other for that final grip, both seem to are
I'D they will stop. and place in their mou'
ne first one and then the other claw OF
lea long fore legs, with which It IS part o. u,
en strategy to overreach each other,
not what purpose. Is it to dip their claws
~ their poison bags or glands knowing .
ar a single scratch inflicted on the body OF
us adversary By poison-dipped weapon
Ia evidently prove fatal - lChamoe
Journal
the BRAIN OF MAX AND APEs.-Prof. "
the is quoted As saying. before the Aninropt
use. gical Society Of London, that g the Of
Of man is more complex in its organi1. =
than the brain Of inferior animals, J,
tile more subject to injury. and more iao,
,on, erner;ence the want Of perfect deve