Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-06
Taekling Il Taraaluia.

Frank Gillette tells Of n ren,arka.
Die fight he witnessed between n
large tarantUia and a colony Of red
ants, sass 8 Fort Worth TEX. cor.
respondent Of the So. Louis Glo6e
Democrat. He has Just returned
from Jack county. where, in the
canyons and hills, he had been
hunting. Iu the afternoon Of one
Jay he encountered n large speci-
men IL the tsrautula which abouuds
IN Texas. He did not dare to touch
or even 90 near the deadly insect.
which was about five inches In
length and Of q greenish hue, but
he got long stick, oneend Of which
he split, and by dexterOus mani
pulation secured the tarantuIa be-
tween the prongs, which, COM
ing together, held 1t tight
enough 10 prevent its es-
cape, tut not enough to iniure IL.
He repaired with il TO a hill Of large
red ants which he had passed on siis
tramp q short time before. In the
middle OF the hill ne deposited the
tsrantuia, releasing II from its i'm
piisonment- 1t was a rather chilly
day, and out few ants We're out Of
their holes. But these few gather.
ed aroe.nd the stranger, looked at II
Tor a brief moment, and then, one
by one, hurTiedly entered the differ
ent small holes within which were
their d6miciies. The taran.ula
meanwhile was mOlionless, occas-
ionally blinking its small, sharp ewes
but net deigning to glance upon The
small insects.
But presently came forth the an
in a body. Although the tale
bearers had entered the hill by diff.
ferent holes the warriors all issued
from the same one. First came a
large ant, ami then the others so
closely upon the heels OF each other
that the line looked like a blood
red string. The side OF the tsrantuIa
was about four inches from " here
the ants Issued from the cone. and
they made straight for the enemy
loss OF time. The large one
Ia the lead pouneed upon one Of the
furry legs, aud the others got their
teeth in rs near by as possible.
There seemed to be an almost
amending string of the ants.
and, in a minute aud a half.
The entire body OF their victim was
with them. After that the
'arantula did not move a limb scar
ely. AT iirst 1t attempted TO null |
away the leg attacked by the ants:
lut finding Il fastened it showed |
long with the disen2aged legs;
moving perhaps an inch and a half
ut the remainder of tn. body was
DON covered with the insects.
which devoted part Of their force
o holding tie victim in place. The
arantula only killed three of the
nis. These three ventured within
he reach Of the jaws OF the taran-
ula, which closed its mouth with a
nap. ending their existence ia-
'antly.
In four minutes the taraatula wss
cad. There was not n sign OF
iood anywhere on its body, though
n many places were evidences of
he frsy. Near the head were scars
where the ants hal bitten
eepesf. Shortly sfter Il closed jts
yes and allowed Its head to sag.
lany OF the ants Withdrew, but
'hen there wasa convu,sive Jerk II
ne leg the ants ran up again and this
me remained til every sign Of
was gone.
Then the ants removed the corpse.
was a heavy body TO remove nut
ley accomplished it. On the
lther fiat top OF the hill the pull
as bard and long, but on the de-
inc II was easier. Arrived at the
o., the ants deserted the corpse
III returned TO their homes, some
itering the hcles. others resuming
e work they had been INTERRUPTED
when the tsrantula came among
EN-.