The Opelousas courier., 1892-07-30
QUEER WAYS OF SPIDERS
THEIR CUNNING MAKES UP FOR
THEIR DEFENsELEssNESS.
singular Method of Protection-Spi-
ders Which Chase People-Wasps
Their Greatest Enemies.

an entomologist to a writer
for the Washington Star. at is not be-
cause they enjoy melody, but simply for
the reason that the sounds to their ears
resemble the buzzing of captive flies.
By gently touching the strings Of a
guitah n can often cause spiders to
come down the walls or from the cell
ings. They will even walk over the
strings and while doing so they appear
to be eagerly searching for something,
moving about excitedly and looking
fierce and hungry. =
IA kind of spider native toFsSouth
America is remarkable for the great
length of its legs, and has a very Singular
method of defending itself. When at
tackled it gathers its feet together, fast
ening them to the center of ITS web, and
gyrates with the velocity of a whirligig,
so that it appears like a mist on the web,
offering no point for an enemy to strike
at. There is another species which fights
by throwing a net about its adversary.
/ have seen a duel between two lndivid-
uals, in which each tried to entangle the
other in snares cunningly cast, the dex-
terity with which they avoided capture
beng wonderful. At length n was
tripped, and presently the successful
combatant began revolving round and
round her opponent, the latter being
soon wrapped in a silvery cocoon, which
was its winding sheet.
"Among the most remarkable spiders
is the Dolonedes, which run over the
surface of water in pursuit of its prey, and
dives to escape from its enemies. Stran-
ger still is the Argyroneta, which builds
its house wherein it lays its eggs, and
rears its young at the bottom of streams.
Some species are exceedingly ferocious,
Though none more so than the huge gray
Lycosa, with a black ri3naround its mid
die, which will chase kgople on slight
~provocation. This fierce creature, which
lives partly by catching birds, has been
known to pursue men on horseback.
"Dr. w. FL. Hudson tells of such an
adventure which he met with while rid
ing across aplain covered with dry grass.
Pursuing his way at an easy trot he sud-
denly observed a great spider chasing
him, leaping swiftly along and keeping
up with the horse. He aimed a blow
with his whip at the ferocious insect, and
the point of the lash struck the ground
close to it, when it instantly leaped upon
and ran up the lash. 1t was actually
within three or Jour inches of the hand
that held the whip before the latter was
suddenly dropped. These great hairy
spiders are very formidable il appear
ance, When approached they stand erect
on their four hind feet, like pugilists,
threatening their adversary. Then,
dropping upon all eight feet, they charge
to the attack.
"The greatest enemies of spiders are
wasps. which do not kill them outright
customarily, but simply disable them foe
the purpose of utilizing them while liv-
ing as food for their young. The wasp,
as o as it has paralyzed the victim by
singing it, drags the now helpless spider
to a hole. Placing it in the bottom OF
the hole the eaptor lays an egg alongside
of it; then, coming out, it fills up and
obliterates the hole with dust and rub
Dish, flying away, thereupon in quest Of
other prey. As soon as it is hatched thu
young wasp grub feeds upon the living
body of the unhappy spider, waxing fai
and finally crawling u of the hole a
winged and perfect insect, ready to con
tinue the wal against the spider tribe.
"Spiders are singularly defenseless
animals. Their small cutting weapons
and supplies of poison afford little pro-
lection against the attacks of their insec1
foes. These latter, being winged, are
able to swoop down from above, them
selves protected by invulerable shield
| and armed with deadly stings. With re
Iation to their foes spiders are placed ii
a situation very similar TO that OF human
beings, having soft and unprotected
bodies, possessing no natural weapon
worth mentioning and being equippe'
with very slight muscular strength CON
pared with the anirals they have to con
tend against. their survival in creation
where causes for their swift extermina
ton would seem to exist, is due to th
exercise of superior intelligence and Gun
ming, as is the case with mankind.
CDR. Hudson says that this superIo
intelligence Is closely related to the wei
with which the spider IS provided. I'm
agine the case Of an arboreal mar borr
with a cord of great length attached IL
his waist, which could either be dragged
after him or carried in / coil. Expert
ence would teach him to put it to use anc
practice would make him more and NOR,
skillful in handling it. He would be
gin by employing it, as the monkey doe
its prehensile tail, to swing himself from
branch to branch, and finally, to escap
from an enemy or In pursuit of his prey
be would be able by means of his corr
to drop himself with safety from th
tallest trees or fly down the steepes
precipices. He would also utilize it TO
binding branches together and buildin,
himself q refuge. In aclose fight he woult
endeavor to entangle his adversary, an,
1T last he would learn to make a snare o
it to capture other animals.
ssTo all these and to q hundred othe
uses the spider has put her web. An,
when we see her spread her beautiful
geometric snare, held by lines fixed t
widely separated points, while she sit
concealed in her web-lined retreat amonI
the leaves where every touch on the far
reaching structure is telegraphed TO he
by the communicating lines as faithful,
as if a nerve had been touched, We mus
admire the wonderful perfection to whic
~ hos attained II the nee IL her cord