The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-04-02

II belongs TO the genus Tarasfnia. and
Il as large As the tiger, but quite differ
ent in color. The male Il = soft yelyefy
black, while the female Is grayizh-brown.
or like faded velvet. She has light
gray spot on top Of the thorax. and on the
abdomen are three dark brown longi-
tudinal stripes alternating with light
gray. In young specimens these mark
ings are quite distinct, but in old ones
the colors blend somewhat The two
sexes do not differ in size, the male
being fully a large n the female. The
body Il little more than an inch IN
length. and the legs are large and long.
which gives il quite formidable APP
pearance, but il l. perfectly harmless
have professionally named il Tayan-
fssla furrirnln. reserying further des-
cription. The name WAS suggested from
its manner Of building
II digs burrow in the earth SIX or
seven inches in depth, but the upper
part Of its domicile j. entirely unlike
that Of the iiger-spider. This species
builds a little round tower above lis
burrow. II procures sticks from one 10
two inches in length, and arranges them
very symmeirically one above the other,
LAYING them 80 Is TO make five-sided
wall.
II i usually a most contented species
i'm confinement Early IN July tooA
fine female, surrounded and almost COW
cred with baby spiders about ready 70
leave the mother--the young can r~adhiy
run up the side II the jar and escape
As soon as they left her, removed the
lar 70 my study; did not take the nest
with this spider, as wished 10 see what
she would do with entirely new sur
. roundings- The earth in the Jar was
about six inches in depth, and well
pressed down gave her sticks and
moss to put around the top Of her tube.
She soon began TO dig burrow- and
when il was about two inches IN depth,
) she commenced 10 build tower above
n. She takes stick from my fingers
and places il at the edge u her tube.
J She works while inside of her burrow,
I holding the stick with her fore-leEs I'M
| iii il i arranged to suit her: she then
turns around and fastens il with strong
: web. She takes another stick and pro-
ceeds in the same way, and continues
/ this until she has laid the foundation a
Z a fire-sided wall. She now goes down
: 10 ,hr bottom II her tube and brings UP
: a pellet az earth. which shc places
e on top ~ the sticks; she goes All around,
e making circle Of these pellets,
: which She fattens by pressing her BODY
I against them. and arranges them IN
L such A manner a. to cover the sticks on
Il the inside. making the walls perfectly
round and silk-hned- Now she = ready
for more sticks. which she continues TO
a alternate with the pellets until the tower
i has reached the height ~ two and . han
e inches above her burrow. ! sometimes
i gave her bits Of green moss IN inch "
!, TWO in length, which she would uSe ~
n fastening them on q stick with web
a This makes the wall on The outside
Ie fringed with moss
II she i not in mood for building
i and offer her 4 stick. she takes y II
le her mandibles, and with her ture-tee'
r gives IL a quick blow. often sending \
with force enough 10 hit the jar: ana
N when she i digging and bringing VI
pellets az earth which she docs 10
70 wish u use in her tower, she throw
Ia them from the top a the walls VIII
~ sufficient force 70 make them land . foo
l. or more from The burrow- If i were no
NV for the Intervention II the glass In
e. accounted for the fact that 1 could reye
Ia find any fresh earth near the burrows .
at these spiders Mrry 7Teaf, ~ HfrI-r
er N1gaxtHe for April