Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-01-17
AN INSECT MENAGERIE.
A VISIT TO A QUEER OLD
CURIOSITY SHOP AND
ITS KEEPER.
Mrs. Mary Treat and Her Swarm
of Insect COmpaniOnS-HOW
Spiders are Tenderiy
Taken Care of.


readers of the Pres are doubtless
familiar with the name of Mrs. Mary
Treat, whose studies in natural history
have been from time to time recorded
in the columns of the monthly maga-
zines and other periodicals. At pres
ent Mrs. Treats observations are con-
fined chiefly to spiders, she and the
Rev. DR.. McCook, of Philadelphia, be-
ing the only persons in this country
who are making speciality of study
ing the habits of the little creatures.
Calling at her cottage in the suburbs
of this city, where she is costly "at
home" in a suite Of sunshiny apart
ments, which she occupies alone, L
found the spider-lover-a cultured, re-
fined, delicate little lady, whose hair
is lightly touched with gray-return-
ing from morning spent in an oak
opening at short distance in the rear
of the house In this bit of woods it
is her habit, when the weather is fine,
to devote portion of the early part of
each day to taking observations of all
sorts of homely wood-born things
which live in the bark of trees, crawl
upon the ground and burrow under de-
cayed logs and dry leaves. After a
pleasant apology for her servceable
dress and stout boots, | was ushered in
to the study of the specialist. Books
and papers marked with the authors
compliments" occupy the reading
stand in the sunny baywindow a
microscope is stationed ready for use;
bright woods, gathered leaves, souvenirs
of an autumn journey in the North,
adorn the walls, and a small table
placed at sufficient distance from the
window to allow easy passage around
it, holds several large boquets of more
brilliancy than beauty.
A BUILDING SITE FOR SPIDERS.
"Those are not placed there to ad-
mire," she says, in answer to the notice
they call forth, "but to intice 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 z"
moving around the table with as much
pride as though it was a plush-em-
broidered spnfiower she was about to
exhibit There is one of my especial
pets isn't be beauty z" There he
was-a brown, hairy, long-legged fel-
low, sitting with his knees doubled up,
evidently waiting for some uncautious
visitor In the edible line to come along
and supply him with a meat dinner.
GLOW do they subsst now that fly
time is over ~ | asked.
"Oh, forage for them" she answers
"W ben the weather is cold they eat
nothing. There is colony of them
now un 3er that bell-glass in the light;
they have gone into winter quarters.
Sometimes they keep active the winter
through without food but whenever
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
harvest small crop. 1t is poor day
when my spiders and | together cannot
lure few unwary victims into neat
little trap By moderate strategy |
make the capture and they put the
prisoners to death"
'Is it true that they devour their
kind ?o
Sometimes. The male is q hen
pecked fellow, and the female will eat
him if she gets a chance. Occasionally
a mother spider kills some of her nu-
merous progeny to feed her remaining
ravenous brood of spiderlings. At one
time | brought up aa entire family in
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 rebufls they run away to set up
house keeping for themselves 1t is
amusing to watch the mother feed her
brood. ! have frequently offered her a
nice plump fly, which she accepted
eagerly, and Immediately several of the
little ones were hidden to the feast.
Three or four would gather around and
suck the Juices while she held the dain-
ty morsel for them. When they had
drawn plenty of they scampered and
new relay came up to lay hold of the
tid-bit"
"It is plain you do not share the
popular antipathy to spiders" | re-
marked, eudeavoring to make satisfac-
tory inspection and still maintain re-
spectful distance from O sprawly black
creature that goes stalking about on
some mysterious errand connected wit h
its spinning.
mo, | have no antipathy 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, cutvating their agriculture
closely, and yet feel that | am only
beginning to know their ways. They
are learning to know me and will take
building material from my hand when
| offer it. A spider lives several years,
and besdes their domestic life, the ir
building and spinning and weaving
which are beautifully and systematical-
ly carried on, there are births and
deaths to be chronicled and curious
characteristic traits which only the
close observer discovers.
MOURNING FOR THE DEATH OF A SPIDER.
At the time of my last visit one
fine specimen had just met an un-
timely death, and his skeleton, packed
with care, had been sent by mail to
Dr. McCook who pronounced it genu-
inc epcira stellat0, valuable acquisi-
ton which-while the doctor profound
ly regretted that Mrs. Treat could not