The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-04-11
Wonderful Engineering Feat.


There is in Mexico and the South
western portion of the United States
q vicious and loathsome insect
known as the Vinegarrillo. A full
grown specimen is nearly as large
as an ordinary humming-bird. Its
weight could not be less than $50
grains. The engineering feat we
are going to describe is the lifting
of one Of these insects by spider.
The Vinegarrillo was a full grown
one; the spider a medium sized,
Jet black creature, distinguished by
q deep scarlet spot on the under
side Of the abdomen. His weight
could not have exceeded 10 grains.
We desire to be minute in order to
give more perfect idea of the skill
Of the spider engineer. The per-
Torrance took place in q smoke
house in Texas, about seven years
ago. We entered the house early
one morning to procure piece OF
meat for breakfast, when the huge
Vinegarrillo swinging about three
inches from the floor attracted our
attention. A second look disclosed
the webs that fastened him and the
spider industriously tripping back
and forth along the horizontal web,
about three feet from the floor,
which served as a beam. To this
the cord by which the unfortunate
Vinegarrillo was being lifted to
death was attached. We avoided CIV
ing alarm to the spider, and watched
him closely for few minutes, but
could detect nothing of his method
of applying his great power. After
breakfasting we again returned to
the scene. The operation was still
progressing, and the great insect was
being gradually elevated, but how?
At dinner time we visited the petite
engineer again. His victim was
now eight inches from the floor.
The spider still tripped back and
forth on the horizontal web before
mentioned. At supper time, d third
visit, found his bugship nearly
foot from the floor, and still max
ing his unwilling ascent, for I now
discovered that he was alive. This
process continued for four days, at
the end of which time the Vinegar
rillo was firmly attached to the
cross-beam, or web, three feet from
the floor, and still living.
Here we have an instance of an
insect raising 25 times its own
weight to perpendicular height of
three feet, and by a process requir-
ing SO hours for it's accomplishment.
What occult principal, what mar
vellous engineering skill, enabled it
to achieve an end SO perfectly i'm
possible to human intelligence?
Our observations at the time led us
to conclude that there was but one
answer to this question, and subse-
luent reflections have confirmed
The conclusion.
The Intellectual attempts of the
imprisoned Vinegarrillo to escape
from his captivity maintained the
vibratory motion of the web by
which he was suspended. By these
vibrations the sides ofthe suspended
web were alternately shortened and
heightened, imperceptibly to the
aye, to be sure. The back and forth
rips of the spider upon the hori-
zontal web were for the purpose of
taking up the slack as it was given
of by the curved side of the web.
Confrmatory of this, we observed
hat the spider invariably halted
moment at each end of the hori-
,ontal web before returning to the
other end. By this means the web
was gradually but surely shortened,
and the vibrations Of the prisoner
we're utilized to lift him up to the
desired position. In other words,
he lifting web was shortened, one
side at time, by taking advantage
If the alternately lessened tension
Of its sides, as the Vinegarrillo
swung to and fro on the silken
thread. In no other way that we can
of is such feat possible.
GOVERNOR HILL of New York has