Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-05-25
MET In THE DESERT.
Some Very Interesting Specimens
Of Animal Life.
Peculiarities of the Tarantula Hawk-Ths
Road Runner OF California Which
Preys on MISUNDERSTANDING
-= Fun with n Scorpion.

Fun with Scorpion.
1--WE prospected all over what the
geographers call the great American
desert, and think it's pretty good
country. Some people might think it
lonesome, but that's all a matter of
taste. 1t suits me because there is
plenty of elbow room. It's trifie dry,
j admit, and sometimes man will get
pretty thirsty and think himself. in big
luck to find pool of water that smells
SO that he has to hold his nose when h0
drinks it, but one can get used to that.
And then it isn't so lonesome after you
get acquainted and know where to lools
for neighbors.
There's plenty of life on the desert
NOT crowds of shuman life, rushing
and tearing about like crazy ants, and
keeping up din day and night that Is
enough to drive the whole world mad
but interesting, sensible, natural life,
full of comedy, tragedy and even hu,
NOR. If you feel lonesome you can
find company anywhere by turning up
rock or looking under the sagebush.
There's no lack of ingenious, curious
little creatures whose ways are worth
studying.
|. AXE Cn0 uhWAS IOT OK.
| ample.
That's an insect built something
| like wasp, or, perhaps, more like a
i devils darning needle and it flies
about looking for tarantulas just as a
hawk scars about keeping his eye
peeled for gophers and such provender.
When the hawk sees a tarantula he
goes for the big spider, swoops down
| H.. e4fr
like fash.
1.-THE tarantula knows that his only
show is TO get under cover, and he legs
| 1t home In frantic haste. It's fun &c
see the big, hairy-legged bully duck his
head and paddle Off through the sand
as if the devil was after him-and the
devil is after him, sure enough. If the
tarantula is near his house he may es,
cape by getting to it, tumbling in head
first and shutting the door tight, but
he's got to hustle for it, because Little
Jack the Giant Killer is a hustler him.
self and keeps jabbing away at every
jump. If the hairy ogre gets caught
out q great way from his castle his name
is Dennis, and he knows it.
"He flops over upon his back to make
a fight, and if he could get hold of the
hawk in that position he would mako
short work of the little chap, but the
hawk sees the trick, and just keeps
sailing around and watching for ar
opening, and when he catches the
spider off guard he darts In, hits him G
lick and gets away like flash. Some
times the hawk will pretend to quit
and fly away, but the instant the t;r
antula is on his feet and scooting fol
shelter, whizz, comes the hawk like &
bullet and socks. it to him in the bach
of the head. A few stings like that dc
up the tarantula. He seems to become
dizzy from the poison, staggers few
steps, and coilapses in a hairy heap
His legs twitch q few times, and that i:
the end Of his malevolent career.
Eve been calling the hawk he al
along, but it isn't that kind of a bird
The tarantula nemesis is the female
hawk, so far as can judge, because
after the spider is knocked out the
hawk proceeds to deposit eggs in tie
remains, and, suppose, the eggs ar,
Matched by the heal of decomposition
Possibly the purpose of laying eggs il
a defunct tarantula is to provide tn,
young hawks with grub at the thresh
old of life, so to speak.
"Whatever the scheme may be it 1
death to tarantulas, and for that reason
nobody ever harms tarantula hawk
. The insects sting is said to be poison
GUS to men, but never knew one t
sting a man.
"Then there is the roadrunner, a Joy
. Gus, sociable little fellow, whose busi
ness In life is worrying rattlesnales t
, death. The road runner is a bir
somewhat larger than blue jay, wit
saucy toplknot and still saucier tai
/ about foot in length. He runs as fas
, as q horse ordinarily travels, and If b
: once gets into the road ahead of
horseman, he will race along for hour
: and can't be driven out of the road FL
could skip aside and get out of the wa
. If he wanted to, but he seems to thin
| that it is his mission in life to kee
. Just ahead of that horse, and nothin
, can drive him from that occupation.
HE is not in the least alarmed, an
when he gains too much Of lead h
, will stop and see-saw with his tail an
chirrup merrily until the horse nearl
, catches up with him, when away he goe
again as If his life depended on his wir
ming the race. When he vearies of tn
sport he disappears in the brush.
81 was riding across cactus deser
once, when a pair of road runners tina
: had been racing with me turned out Q
: tNe trail and became suddenly yer
much excited about something. The
paid no more attention to me, and
rode up near enough to see what wa
going on. They had run across bi
diamond-back RATHER and were pre-