Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-07-02

under side Of the trap door is now COW
cred with layer after layer of silk, so
that it is convex, forming q silken pad,
the use of which is evident when an at
tempt is made to open the door, the man.
dibles Of the tenant being fastened to it,
while the spider braces back with its
legs against the walls and holds it
| down. So effectual is this method of
closing the portcullis that often the
hinge is torn apart before the spider
will release his hold. On one occasion
when the door did give, the infuriated
insect released its hold and sprang at
least twelve inches at the offender, show
| ing decidedly aggressive nature.
The ferocity of these insect tigers,
however, is displayed when in chase of
prey, and the size of the animals they
attack is sometimes astonishing. A
large one has been seen to attack
young gopher. The latter had tun-
neled along the edge OF an adobe tract,
coming up within two or three feet of
the door of large SPIDERS trap, and
soon began series of short and erratic
migratons from its hole; each time
loading its pouches with bits of grass
and weed. The spider, in making its
trap, had fastened in bit of the latter,
and when this was pulled out by the
gopher the hinge gave way, and in
second ball OF hair and fur was roll
ing about, and twelve legs and claws
were grasping the air. The spider had
rushed out suddenly, and with quick
leap seized the unlucky gopher near the
throat, and had evidently penetrated it
with its poison mandibles. The gopher,
terrified at the assault, at first backed
toward its hole, but the pain caused it
! to defend itself and the two were soon
in a sanguinary struggle; the spider
merely retaining its hold, relying upon
its poison, while the gopher struck and
paved the insect with its claws, also
endeavoring to use its powerful teeth.
The result of this was that the ground
for several inches about was soon cov-
cred with gopher's blood and SPIDERS
hair and legs. Over and over The COM
batants rolled. Finally the gopher,
rising on its hind legs, tore the spider
off and staggered to its hole, where it
undoubtedly succumbed.
The poison of these spiders is proba-
bly, more yirulent one time than anoth.
er, and is absurdly exaggerated in Mex
leo, where have been told that 70 even
allow tarantula to walk over a person
during the intense heat of summer,
would be productive of fatal results.
The truth is, that in certain cases the
bite proves fatal, just rs people have
been killed by the bite OF wasp, the
fright and nervous shock acting to-
gether to produce such deadly result.
The majority of small birds, mammals
and reptiles often succumb to the poi
son. The great spider does much of it's
foraging ut night; attacking the mole
cricke.s, mice and various insects that
suit its palate. In some experiments
tried with mouse and tarantula, this
being the popular name in this section,
both being placed in box together,
the former showed Immediately its dis
tress and terror. Either bitter expert
ence or instinct warned it that the hid
eous creature was mortal enemy. The
spider remained perfectly quiet, but
the unfortunate quadruped lost its head
and darted over the hairy insect, where
upon a fierce struggle was commenced.
Their movements could be followed,
but in less than three minutes the spi-
der was torn in pieces by the little an
imal, that a few minutes later dropped
upon its side, gasped and died.
The tarantIla has few enemies.
Some of the large insectivorous birds
(as the butcher birdl would probably
attack 1t, but Its enemies may be prac-
tically be confined to large insect
called the tarantula hawk, that seems
to be the only insect that knows the
open sesame Of the big spider. The lat
ter when returning to its trap at full
speed, can lift the lid and slide in so del
icately that its disappearance appears
almost miraculous. 1t would seem as
though the hawk watched this per-
formance, as it finds the trap with COM
parative ease, lifts the silk door and
darts in, overpowering the spider and
killing or paralyzing it. In the body it
deposits its eggs. The latter in time
hatch, the young tarantula hawks feed
ing upon the body that had formed
their birthplace. Thus the hawk not
only destroys the great spider but con-
verts its body into store-house for its
eggs and the trap for home for the
coming brood, who, perhaps, have got
their first suggestions as to tarantula-
hunting. This method of providing
for the future young is found among
large number Of this tribe, and when it
is remembered that many of them only
paralyze their victims, putting them on
ice as il were, so that they will sleep
until the eggs that have been depos-
tied in the body are hatched, it is most
remark able.
The tarantula fines one willy victim
that it only captures by piecemeal, and
that by accident. The little brown liz
ard that frequents the clearings is some
times caught mapping. and before 1t can
escape the huge spider is upon it, and
seizes the slender tail, confident perhaps
of dinner. But nature has provided
the lizard with a method Of escape. The