Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-10-17


m the web, tine SPIDER immediately rushing
down, seizing, and killingit. She then car
ried it 10 the top OF the glass and in four
minutes had sucked all the moisture out of it.
She then wrapped it loosely round with
web, leaving only one line to it, by which
she carefully lowered it, for about two
inches through space in the net; then cut
ting the line with her hind-feet, she let IL
fall to the ground.
After this we placed four flies in the case,
three of which were speedily caught The
spider having evidently eaten enough, she
disposed of these flies in a different manner
from the first. Running to each in turn,
she turned the fly rapidly round and round
with her front legs; at the same time, two
distinct webs kept winding round the fly
from the spinnerets, until it was encased in
such bag of web that the fly could not be
seem She then hung them in different
parts OF the web, eating two of them the
same night Thinking the flies so wrapped
up would be air-tight, we detached one
from the web, leaving it exposed TO the air
for three days. Although the weather was
very hot, we found, on carefully opening the
case, that the dead fly was quite fresh, and
when smashed between the fingers was in
a perfectly juicy condition. This clearly
shows their wonderful instinct in preserv-
ing food for future meals.
One day we placed in this case large
NEATLY, which Immediately few through
the web, tearingsi 1T in a destructive man
ner. The spider at once came down and re-
paired it; and in few minutes the fly was
once more in the web, struggling hard.
This time, the spider came within about
half an inch of the fly, made strong cord
fast to three of the outside lines of the net,
|. and then running quickly over the back of
the fiy, she made the cord fast on the other
sides. On this cord we noticed tiny beads
hanging, OF clear-looking substance,
which, as the fly struggled, adhered to its
wings, impeding its movements. Leaving
the fly for nearly two minutes, by which
time he was almost exhausted, the spider
once more drew near and quickly had him
by the back. SwayiDg her body from side
TO side at the same time, she soon bound
him with three cords, which she guided
about over the fly with her hind-feet in
wonderfully rapid manner. She then
pierced hum on the side of the trunk, from
which place she did not again loose until
the fly was dead. Making a slight repast,
she bound the remains securely in the web,
for future meals. This same spider we have
now. Last September she completely de-
stroyed her web, and spun bright yellow
cocoon on the top of the glass, and laid, as
hundred and sixty eggs. She has since
then remained hanging on this cocoon. Her
body before she laid the eggs was as large
as a small bean; it is now january not
much larger than gram of rape-seed. She
refuses all food, and appears in dormant,
if not dying state.
There was another old spider, of very
dusky colors, which we placed in large
glass jar. Although he was very large
one, he did not erect any web, but used to
try and catch the flies we placed in the jar
by sneaking around the glass to them while
they were resting. A few days after, we
introduced a younger spider, about three
parts grown, which quickly made very
strong and useful web. The old spider took
no notice of the newcomer until the younger
spider had completed his home and made all
comfortable. Then the old one carefully
climbed into the net or web, attacked and
killed the owner and took possession After
this we placed several flies in the jar, some
of which injured part of the web, the spider
not attempting to repair the damage, not
being able evidently to produce a web,
through old age or injury. To show the
power spiders have of knowing what insects
they can safely attack. we placed two large
| ants, which were neuters or workers, in a
web. When the spider came down and saw
who the visitors were, he fell from the web
to the bottom of the jar, where he lay seem
ingly paralyzed with fear. We then re-
moved the ants. The spider did not return
to his web for thirty-five minutes, and then
in an apparently frightened state.
We used to feed female spider with fly
every morning; and she became so used to
the habit, that at last, when we shook the
net, she would como and take the fly from
between our fingers. Unfortunately, she
died at the end of the season after laying a
cocoonful of eggs.
In experimenting in different ways with
some of the small insects, many hours may
be pleasantly spent, greatly adding a rich
store of knowledge as to the way in which
things are endowed according to their
nature of living