Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-05-04
KNOWING CREATURES.

We have read stories of spiders tanned
by prisoners, and here is one from
Animal Intelligence" which shows
that, besides being capable of tameness,
they have sense enough to resent being
teased: II noticed one day i'm half
dark corner tolerably respectable
spider web, in which well-fed spider
had made its home, and sat at the nest
opening early and late watching for
some flying or creeping food. II soon
became a regular duty with me TO carry.
it flies several times day. which | laid
down before its door with pair of
pincerS. After while the spider came
each time and took the flies out of the
pincers. This game was carried on for
some weeks, as it seemed to me curious.
But one day when the spider seemed
very ravenous, and regularly flew at
each fly offered TO it, began teasing it.
As soon as it had got hold of the tlv
pulled it back again with the pincers.
1t took this exceedingly ILL., The first
time, as l finally left the fly with it, it
managed TO forgive me; but when
later took g fly right away, our friend
ship was destroyed forever On the
following day it treated my offered flies
with contempt, and would not move.
and on the third day it had disap-
peared."
You have all heard of the ants of
South America-the Ecitons-which 90
about i'll great crowds and kill every
live creature they overtake There is
an account given by Mr. Belt, showing
that not all the wisdom of the country
belongs to the ants. "Many of the
spiders would escape by hanging sus-
pended by thread of silk from the
branches, safe from the foes that
swarmed both above and below. | no.
ticed that spiders generally were most
intelligent in escaping, and did not, like
the cockroaches and other insects, take
shelter in the first hiding-place they
found. / have often seen large spiders
making off many yards in advance, and
apparently determined to put a good
distance between themselves and the
foe. l once saw one of the false spiders.
or harvest men, standing in the midst
of an army of ants, and with the great
est GOODNESS lifting, one after another.
its long legs, which supported its body
above their reach. Sometimes rs many
as five out of its eight legs would be
lifted at once, and whenever an ant an
preached one of those on which it stood,
there was always clear space within
reach to put down another, so as to be
able to hold up the threatened one out
of danger"
One who has studied the WAYS of that
wise bird, the gray parrot is ready to
believe almost any story aboutit. There
IS w
knowing herself, found her match in
cunning. lone day the cat and parrot
had quarrel. | think the cat had up
set Polly's food, or something of that
kind; however, they seemed all right
again. An hour or so after Polly was
standing on the edge of the table; she
called out. in tone of deep affection:
Puss, puss, come then, come then,
pussy Pussy went, and looked up in
nocently enough. Polly with her beak
seized basin of milk standing BY. and
tipped the basin and all its contents
over the cat; then chucklcd diabolicallv.
Of course the fall broke the basin, and
half-drowned the cat"
In one case parrot owed its life to
puss. lone evening there was no one
in the kitchen. Cook had gone up
stairs and left bowl of dough to rise
by the fire. Shortly after the cat
rushed up after her, mewing and max
ing what signs she could for her 10 90
down; then she jumped up and seized
her apron, and tried to drag her down
As she was in such a state of excite
ment, cook went and found Polly Shrek
ing, calling out, tapping her wings,
and struggling violently, up to her
knees in dough, and stuck quite fast.
No doubt if she had not been rescued
been smothered."
Cage-birds know quite we'll enough
how to ask for bath, and it seems
that some wild ones do also. A lady
writing about a jackdaw which lived
in her yard says: II generally made a
practice of filling large basin which
stands under the trees every morning
for Jacks bath. A few days ago ]
forgot this duty, and was reminded of
the fact in a very singular manner.
When l opened my dressing-room shut
tiers about eleven o'clock, found my
little friend waiting just outside them,
as though he knew that he should see
me there; and when he did, he placed
Immediately i'm front of me, and
then shook himself and spread out his
wings just as he always does in his
bath. The action was SO suggestive,
and SO unmistakable, that spoke just
as would have done TO child: oh,
yes, Jack, of course you shall have