The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-12-15

Prof. Rickrnore gage the sixth of his
series of Lectures on zoology at the
american Museum q Natural History.
the other morning His subject was
..Spiders and Grassho iRrs ;, As usual,
large mum ber OF eeifnens and slides
representing the ht f9a growth of the
subjects were exIlIbEeA inclu ling two
nIafes in which the acixal east-of skins
Of qrasshoppers aud eockroaches were
shown. The lecture revealed a number
of pecnliarities of eommm insects
which are not generasl known. It was
asserted that the DIN fly, or knit
tino-needle.'' as itlss N6netimes called.
Is not at all danQerp but is an molten
sive insect. the long al OF which is but
a harmless attachme eptahat has no sting.
In fact, the dragon Il vas shown to be
a. beneficial sort oi42 irsect, because
It destraps gpats kher small iies
which q - IS ieest to humanity.
s-...l tculias sconstruc-
tfie llzsy4..5s : ....Sfwfien not in use Tor
the purpose eapturing food, closes
back over the head. The head of the
dragon-tly, like that of other insects,
seems to be mainly place for the eyes,
the brains of the fly being in the chest
instead OF in the head The common
centlpedes of this country were shown
to be harmless, as were the so-cailed
ear-Wlgs. In the class treated of were
included the marine mites, whose stom-
achs are series of cells attached to
their legs. Other insects were shown
to the auditors, which have lungs
from their boots to their hats"
as the Professor explained. A number
OF peculiar bugs of the spider
class were shown, where the two anterior
legs had developed into long and deli
cate feelers, yet the animals are able to
move about readily, as they have six
legs left with which to walk. Several
specimens of the tarantula and scor-
plon were exhibited and the difference
IN their method of singing explained.
he tarantula bites, as the rattlesnake
does, with pair of fangs, which are
IN It's jaws. The scorpion sting, how
ever, is an attachment in the form of
fish-hook at the end of its tail. Among
the peculiar things described was the
way in which the spider builds and
uses its web. The nest S in the center
OF the spiral web woven, and the lines
radiating from this center to the exte-
[
tenn by which the spider tells when any
legitimate prey walks into its parlor, is
eqtangled, and so becomes food for the
WHY weaver. The scorpion found on
the fearth in this region, the Professor
explained, is a sort of aerial lobster. a
false scorpion, whose appearance is
much worse than its bite, which is not
at ali dangerous. A peculiar array of
I insects which take on the color and
/ the form of the leaves and twigs on
which they live were shown, and ex-
/ cited much curiosity These are COM
monty known as leaf and stick insects.
and are subject of much comment be-
! cause of their peculiar character. The
grasshopper was treated of at length.
/ and the most peculiar thing about it
! shown was the method by which it sheds
/ its old coat and takes on new one
! INhan the srrassho7 reE leaves its coal II
I goes out Of it backward, first bursting
/ its old shell at the back between the
wings. and crawling out in that way, by
/ the back door, so to speak. The encase-
rent abandoned has all the form Of the
animal, but loses its brilliancy of color.
N y Times