Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-02-06
SPIDERS.
THEIR ASTRONOMICAL LIKES AND DIS
LIKES.

1
studies in natural history have been from
time to time recorded in the columns OF
the monthly magazines and other PERIOD
icals. At present Mrs. Treats observa'
tons are confined chiefly to spiders.
Calling at her cottage in the suburbs oil
this city, where she is costly cat home
in suite of sunshiny apartments, which
she occupies alone, | found the SPIDER
lover-a cultured, refined, delicate little
lady, whose hair is lightly touched with
gray-returning from morning spent IN
an oak opening at short distance IN
rear of the of the house. Books and
papers, marked "wi,h the authors COM
pliments," occupy the reading stand; in
the sunny bay-window a microscope is
stationed ready for use; bright woods
gathered leaves, souvenirs of an autumn
journey in the North, adorn the walls
and small table, placed at sufficient
distance from the window to allow easy
passage around it, holds several large
bouquets, of more brilliancy than beauty.
"Those are not placed there to ad-
mire," she says, in answer to the notice
they call forth, but to entice some spider
out in search Of building site. Several
have settled down to business already.
Would you like to take peep at them
in their own domiciles = moving around
the table with as much pride as though
il was a plush-embroidered suntiower she
was about 10 exhibit. There is one of
my especial pets; isn't he beauty =
There he was-a brown, hairy, long
legged fellow, sitting with bis knees
doubled up. evidently waiting for some
incautious visitor in the edible line to
come along and supply him with meat
dinner.
"How do they subsist now that fly
time is over asked.
"Oh. forage for them" she an
swered "When the weather is cold
they eat nothing. There is colony of
them now under that bell glass in the
light; they have gone into winter quar-
ters. Sometimes they keep active the
winter through without food; but when
ever days are sunny, dinners are plenty,
for | throw open doors and windows, set
out some growing things to make the
room bright as possible, and the flies
come buzzing in, and am able to har-
vest small crop. It is poor day when
my spiders and together cannot lure a
few unwary victims into neat little
trap. BY moderate strategy make the
capture, and they put the prisoners to
death"
as it true that they devour their
kind :"
Sometimes. The male is hen
pecked fellow, and the female will eat
him il she gets chance. Occasionally
mother spider kills some of her num-
erous progeny to feed her remaining
ravenous brood of spiderlings. At one
time brought up an entire family in a
bottle, and you can have no idea how
interesting found them. The babies in
astonishing numbers, swarm on the
mothers back and crawl over her body
until big enough to wean, which is not
until they are from four to six weeks
old. At that time she kicks, shakes or
scrapes them off by the dozen, and after
a few rebuffs they run away to set up
housekeeping for themselves. 1t is
amusing to watch the mother feed her
brood. have frequently offered her a
nice plump fly, which she accepted eager
ly and Immediately several Of the little
ones were hidden to the feast. Three or
four would gather round and suck the |
juices while she held the dainty morsel
for them. When they had drawn plen-
ty, off they scampered and new relay
came up to lay hold Of the tidbi,."
1T is plain you do not share the pop
ular antipathy to SPIDERS" | remarked,
endeavoring to make satisfactory inspec-
ton and still maintain respectful dis
lance from sprawly black creature that
goes stalking about on some mysterious
GRAND connected with its spinning.
mo, have no sntipathy for them"
she says warmly. They are pretty
good companions when one lives alone.
| have spent several years studying them
here and in portions of New England,
cultivating their agriculture closely. and
yet feel that | am only beginning to
know their ways. They are beginning !
to know me and will take building ma
terial from my hand when offer it. A
spider lives several years, and besides their
domestic life, their building and spinning