The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-15
THE SPIDERS ENEMY.
How 1t Builds Its Houses. and the Disp
sttlan II Makes of Its victims.

How 1t Builds It's Houses. and the Dispo-
sItion It Makes OF Its Victims.
what a beautiful spider, Cousin
Alliet" exclaimed Katie; and then she
added, with face full of amazement;
.'why, where has it gomez"
"As you turned TO draw my atten-
ton to it, dear, an enemy came and
took him away" answered Cousin
Allie.
IAN enemyp' said Katie, with
puzzled look that made three lines right
down the middle of her forehead "have
spiders enemiesp"
Yes, a great many, not only OF their
own kind, for they are cannbals and
ca: one another, but men, and birds,
and other insects also.
(which is their worst enemy, Cousin
Alliep'
"From all that l have observed
should say that the enemy the spider
fears the most Is little insect that peo-
pie who are very wise about such things
say belongs to the genus Sphex, and in
talking or writ ng Of it they always give
it its hard scientific name of Sphex
Sabulosia Lin. But shall depart from
this rule, and call the spiders enemy
nv its everyday name of Dirt-dobber,
because know you will then under
stand of what am speaking"
"Please 20 on" said Katie, as Allie
paused.
First let us walk down to the pond
and see If wa can not find out some
thing there about our dirt-dobbers,
answered Allie, gayly.
After few moments watching from
among the reeds Allie pointed to dirt
| dobber who had Just alighted on the
wet bank. After settling herself. the
dirt-dobber took piece Of earth with
| her feelers, or hands, and rolled 1t into
q small ball no larger than pea, but
| quite as smooth and round. Taking
this ball between her jaws, she flew
away with it.
Nov" said Allie, IF you will come
up to the garnet with fhe will show
YOU what the dirt-dobber does With
those little round balls, my dear"
allie, it Will sting us!" cried Katie.
! drawing back rs her cousin babe her
sit down upon pile of cotton seed that
lay just opposite to. and very near, q
dlrt-dobbers nest
mo, no, Katie, they do not sting.
have had them in my hand. Wait q
moment or so, and the owner Of this
tiny dirt house will commence work.
She is afraid Of us. but her fear will bt
over as soon as she sees that we are moi
going to harm her" After several un-
easy flights in and out of the window
near which the nest was, the dirt-dob-
Der decided to go to her home, one eel
of which was already finished and seal
ed up. Her first act was to crawl care
fully over the finished cell, as If to as
sure herself that it had received M
crack or injury during her absence
then she began work on another eel
by laying the ball Of earth close to tn
side OF the closed one. and then will
her feelers, or hands, spreading tn
earth out and molding 1t into the prop
er shape, making sharp. buzzinl
noise as she did so. Having worked NJ
all of the dirt she had brought, the dirt
dobber flew down upon the window-sil
and carefully washed her feelers by put
ting them into her mouth and then rub
bling them together This she di'
every time before going for fresh sup
ply Of earth. After two days constan
work the cell was finished. 1t was pei
fectly smooth and round inside, an
quite dark.
The third morning found Allie an
Katie at their post in good time to 50
Mrs. Dirt-dobber begin her work. In
deed, Katic began to fear that some
thing had happened to her, when sh
few in heavily laden with a spider ha
as large as herself. This she CAREFUL
stuffed into the very back Of the eel
and. after washing her hands, was o
once more.
"Allie, how does she catch th
spiders without them singing herp
asked Katie.
Every easily. my dear. When til
cell is ready for the spiders she flit
into the woods or down on the marsf
and as soon as she sees ono lying In
near its web. ready to jump upon u
fret luckless fly that attempts to rel
ON its net. she says tn herself: Al
you will do and pounces down upo
the spider before he can say Goo
gracious what's the matterP' catchir
him by the back Of the head or necl
; buxzing very loud. As she does 80 81
dies away with her victim. and BY q