Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-18
LtFE On THE AMAZON
curios Pound by . >a,urar., IN sr.r,,,.,
FORESTS.

foff~ts-
SOM OF THE tNrrRUsrINa aNtNAIs uutru s,
lsT MAR rHE FeUAroR klNps or
NoNkEfs-wHirE ANTS AND raEfA frNNt
wArs-soNr oTnEH FREsKs IN NATURE.
THE VAST Region wArEREp RY THE
l. Amazon and iis tributaries L. ancd with
strange and little-known animals. DIR. Henry
Bates, the famous naturalist, obtained iu that
part OF tho world not long ago specimens Of no
less than 5000 species OF mammals, birds. IN
sects, &c, which were wholly new 20 sci-nc.
One Of the most curious creatures he came
across was a gigantic spider that prcvs on
small birds. Its legs have spread Of twelve
inches and its body and legs are covered ~ith
coarse gray sad reddish hairs. The web J.
spins is strong enough TO sntangle and hoa
such feathered victims as hnches. Not relvius
exclusively upon its snRres. however. THE mon.
strous arschnid saIlies forth az night. climbs
trees and sucks the eggs or devours the youug
OF hunming birds. The hairs with which u }.
clothed come off when touched and oAu-aA
peculiar and almost maddening irritation
Children are sometimes seen leading thee.
spiders around by means Of small cords tied
about their wrists.
Even the vegetation Of that region has weird
characteristics. There is kind ~ Parasitic
tree very common near Para, which IL called lie
murderer Llama. It's stem being too weak 10
support the weight OF the plant tho latter
climbs on a tree 81 another species The Way
II does this Is peculiar. Springing up close 20
the tree which 1t intends TO fix itself the
wood OF its stem grows by spreading itself ike
plastic mold over one side OF the trunk Of 10.
supporter. IL then puts forth from each side
an arm-like branch, which grows rapidly and
looks as though a stream of sap were flowing
and hardening as il went. This adheres closely
TO the trunk OF the victim. the two arms meet
ing on the opposite side and blending together
These arms are put forth AT somewhat regular
intervals in mounting upward. and the victim
when its stranger isfun grown. becomes us atty
clasped by number OF infexibe rings. These
rings gradually grow larger the murderer
nourishes. and IN course Of time the Llama kills
it's prey by stopping the flow OF lite sap. The
strange spectacle then remains OF the selfish
parasite clasping In lite arms the lfeless aud ie-
csylng body of its victim. As the dead trunk
molders away its own end approaches-its sup
port is gone and itself also falls
MYSTERY HsUSrs THE FORESTS.
Mystery seems to haunt these tropical forests
There many sounds which il is impossible 70
account for. Even the natives do not know
what they signify. Sometimes n noise il heard
like the clang OF iron bar against a hard.
hollow tree, or a piercing cry rends the air
These are not repeated and the succeeding
silence tends TO heighten the unplcasant inn
preston which they make on the mind. With
the natives il 10 always the "wild man" or
spirit OF the woods who produces all noises they
are unable 10 explain. This wild man IL a very
| extraordinary being. Sometimes he is de-
scribed ss kind OF orang-outsng. being COW
cred with long shaggy hair and living in trees
At others he is said TO have cioven feet and Q
bright red face. He has a wife and children.
The natives shoot fishes with bow and arrow
The arrow is q reed with q steel barbed point
which is fixed In hole at the end and secured
by hne Irvine made from the fbers Of pine
apple leaves. 1t In only in the clearest water
that fish can be shot in this way, and the only
skill required is to make, in taking aim the
proper allowance for refraction. These Indians
procure . certain kind OF monkey called the
''coaits" by shooting it with the biovpipe and
poisoned darts. They restore the animals TO
life by putting little salt-the antdote 10 the
curari poison with which the darts tipped
in its mouth. The monkeys thus captured
become tame forthwith India rubber is known
| throughout the province Of Para only by the
name OF 'ser1nga, which ~ the Portuguese
word for syringe. II owes this appeIlston 70
the circumstance that il In the form Of
syringes only that the first Portuguese settlers
found india rubber employed by the sborigines.
IL Is said that the Indians were fret taugh; to
make syringes Of rubber by seeing natural
tubes formed by il when the flowing sap
gathered around projecting twigs.
The most interesting animals remarked BY
Naturalist Bates were the termites commonly
called white ants, though they actually be-
long TO the same order the dragon flies In
the valley OF the Amazon the surface OF tie
country here aud there is covered with conical
hillocks built by these insects Some of these
structures are five feet high. being formed Of
particles of earth worked into a material as
hard as stone. The ''ants" are small pale
colored, soft-bodied creatures. having scarcely
anything in common with true ants. except
that their colonies include several distinct
orders or castles Of individuals Their popu-
lous communities are thoroughly organized for
mutual help. In each colony, besides the
mall and females, there is a set OF individuals
whose task Is to work and care for the Young
brood. These neuters are divided into two
classes-fghters and workers. Both are blind
and each keeps TO its own task, the one 20 de
fend the community against all corners, the
other TO build, nurse the young broods from the
eggs upward and takec Of the king and queen
THE INSECT coNMUSIrIEs
The organization OF such insect communities
affords strange spectacle. Nothing like it's
found among the higher animals except with
man. Social instincts exist in many species Of
mammals and birds, but the principle %
division Of labor and the setting apart Of classes
OF individuals for certain employments exist
only in human societies in an advanced state "
civilization. Tho wonderful point about the
termites is that nature has given TO each class .
structure Of body adapting il 70 the kind "
labor IL has to perform. Tae males and females
form q class apart They do no kind Of work,
but IN the course OF growth acquire wings 10
enable them TO issue forth and disseminate
their species. The workers and soldiers are
wIngless, differing only in respect to their
heads. This member In the lsborers Is smooth
and rounded: in the soldiers il is or large size
and provided with horns resembling pixies and
tridentsA Some species do not possess these
horns. but instead Of them have long laws
shaped like siekies, sabers or SAWS
Mr.. Bates remarks that NOWADAYS civilized
and industrious nations OF men find IL neces-
sary to get apart numerous armed class for
the protection of the rest Nature attends 10
this matter Tor the termites. The soldier
white ant, however. has not only the fght-
ing instinct and function: be 10 constructed
a soldier carrying his weapons not in his hands,
but growing out OF his body. whenevera
colony of these insects il disturbed the workers
at once disappear and the soldiers make their
| appearance to cover the retreat OF the
/ lsborers. They attack fercely any intruding
| object and a. last their front ranks are de-
stroyed Others ill up their places When their
Jaws close in the flesh they suffer themselves TO
be torn to pieces rather than loosen their held.
| This instinct is rather unfortunate for them
when a colony 10 attacked by the well-knOsn
enemy Of white anti" the ant bear. Il Is the
soldiers only which attach Themselves 20 the
long worm-ike tongue Of the animal while tho
workers, On whom the prosperity OF the young
brood depends, are left for the most part I'M
harmed Thus the members Of the fighting
es serve % Drotect the by eacr11clng