The daily gazette., 1876-05-25
A Mouse Captured by n Spider-Lsrge
Crowds Witncssing the Feat,

Mouse Captured by n spider-Lsrge
Crowds Witncssing the Feat.
The wonderful little spider that
captured the mouse, and is elevsting
1t in its parlor at Mr.. Michael Gross
carpenter shop, on Oreatmen, between
Elysian Fields and Marigny streets, Of
which we gave an account yesterday
morning, is still busily engaged in Its
herculean task, and filling the numer-
GUS persons who visit 1t with amaze
ment. This astonishing little insect
is OF the black species, and very small,
fact which renders the feat it now
performs the most marvellous. The
mouse was accustomed, when on
predatory excursion, to merge fro m a
hole under the bench where the pider
dwells, and pass into the carpc nter
shop where the bench stands.
The enterprising spider who had no
doubt watched for long time its
movements, laid trap for the unsus-
pecting mouse, and, on Monday morn
ing. when il started out on Its daily
rounds, the little spider, who was on
the lookout, tightened the thread
which she had prepared for her victim
whose hind legs were entangled in the
mass as it passed out of Its hole, and
were soon secured. Immediately af-
ter the legs had been caught the spider
fastened another thread to the mouse's
tail, and after several hours constant
work succeeded in raising her prey's
hind quarters, and continued so doing
until the tip of the mouse's nose only
reached the floor. Having thus rem
dered 1t helpless, the little spider i'm
dustiously set to work multiplying its
fastenings.
After few more hours labor the
mouse was raised an inch from the
floor, the spider working as if with q
pulley. In its terrible contortions tc
release itself the mouse managed tc
sever the fastenings from its hind
legs, put SO strong were the threads
which suspended it in the air, and so Sc.
curely were they attached to its tai tina,
all efforts to break them proved fruit
less. Mr.. Gross, taking great interest
IN the proceedings, left the spider un
disturbed and during almost the whole
of Monday night, with several friends
watched its work attentively. The
little insect, after taking it's position
on her victims tail, commenced mani
pulating the threads and working.
Gradually could the astonished wit
nesses of this feat see the mouse creeE
up, and the threads, descending from
their fastening under the corner of the
bench to the mouse's tail, increasing in
number. and during the twenty. foul
hours ending yesterday evening the
threads had so increased that it be-
came impossible to count them, ant
the mouse, which was still alive. .thougl
quite weakened. had been raised from
one to three and one-half inches from
the floor. The spider, during thu
whole time of its work. sat on th,
mouse's tail, only leaving its position
at long intervals, when it would eau
tiously creep down the tail to its root
and there feed upon the blood of thu
mouses Then resuming its position OF
the end of the tail it would agail
begin its work.
This unhea1d-of capture of a nous,
by so small an insect, and its ingenious
manner of elevating, it has excited til,
wonder and admiration OF thousand
OF visitors. among whom may be men
toned several scientific men and ply
siciahs, who assembled in large crowd
at MIR. Gross carpenter shop to witnes
the progress of the gigantic task which
the little spider has undertaken and i
so successfully bringing to an issue
Mr.. Gross will leave them undisturbet
and carefully watch the result, a
every one is anious to see what tn
!, spider will do with its captive after i
dies, and how far it will elevate it,
, N. o. Peayune.