Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-01
How IA Spider Captured u Potato
HReIIR.

I wish to place ON record with You an Incl
dent which came under my observation, and
which almost equals the account of a spider
raising snake in its web, which you publish
cd some time ago. | was sitting on my back
porch one day this summer, when l observed
potato bug slowly approaching along the
floor. Anxious to anuihilate AS many as pos
sible of these pests, kept my eye ON him un-
til he should come within reach, when | could
put my foot on him. While watching in this
way l noticed pretty good sized spider ap-
prOachiug the bug At n little distance he
stopped to survey his contemplated victim
and then, with mind seemingly determined
as to what course to pursue, ran around on the
opposite side of the bug, and with an appar-
ent nip" at him turned the bug from his
course and toward n corner where ! noticed
the spider had n web some four or more inch
es from the floor. The bug had no inclina-
ton to go in that direction, hut he was close
ly driven by the spider. which ran fret to one
side and then the other, exactly like shep-
herd dog driving sheep, hurrying his victim
up with an occasional nip" or bite at his
side. All this was something new to me in
the habits and ways of the spider, and watch
ed with intense interest to see what the result
would be.
When the bug had been driven into the
corner at point directly under the web. the
spider changed tactics, and made series of
circles rapidly around the bug, first in one di-
rection and then in another, occasionally TAX
ing run up into the web. While l was un-
able TO see the delicate thread spun by the
spider, saw that the bugs legs soon became
50 entanglcd that he could not make any head
way, but could only struggle around in a lin
tied latitude, which became more and more
limited as the spider untiringly continued his
work. Being compelled to leave at this mo-
ment, | returned again in about half an hour
l then found the bug turned on his back and
his feet apparently quite firmly bound He
was quite motionless, and thought was dead,
but he soon showed signs of life by vigorous
kicking, which nearly released him.
The spider had been running up and down
at different points, but quickly left that work,
and sliding down to the bug seemed to attack
his throat, and in such manner that the bug
gave few spasmodc kicks and seemed to
give up the ghost. The spider then returned
to his work of attaching lines to the bug and
the web. They were soon SO numerous that
| could see them besides, the light had be-
come more favorable. The regularity of the
lines formed a sort of funnel, diyerging as they
did from the bug to the outer parts of the web
above.
After a time the spider seemed to have
lines enough attached, and began the new
WOIk VI shOIleulAB ehcL huti rs IL uppehTeu.
He passed from line to line many times over,
stopping an instant at each. l was again call
ed away at this juncture, and did not see the
curiosity again until the next day. The bug
was then elevated over an inch above the floor,
and the third day he was safely in the center
of the web some 3 inches from the floor and
all the tackle employed in hosting was COM
pletely cleared away. In the web were the
carcasses of two other potato bugs, which
have no doubt were caught in like manner,
though they may have crawled up the wall
into the web. l cannot name the variety of
the spider, but it is very common one, of
rather good size taken altogether, but small
as compared with the bug. The spider could
not have weighed one-eighth as much as the
bug his body was long and slender, with
long slender legs, very ordinary species of
house spider (of brown color and called
large spider on account of his long legs.
This may be a very common habit of the
spider, running out and driving in game to
place where it can be secured and hoisted,
but never heard of the like before.-R. B.
TUller, IN Scientific american.