The Washington bee., 1893-04-22
Spiders on the March.

In almost every part of Texas there is
large burrowing spider commonly
known as the tarantula, though some
naturalists consider such classification
as incorrect. However that may be-,
the giant spider of Texas has body
equal in size to an ordinary human
thumb and spread of legs covering an
area of about four inches, while
a thick growth OF coarse black or
brown hair gives it a general appear
ance anything but pleasing. The crea.
ture, without being aggressive, is slow
to take alarm, and is one representative
of the lower animal kingdom which
seems to have no fear of man. A gen.
tleman who has large landed interests in
Western Texas save:
Several years ago was taking trip
by ambulance through the eastern
portion of Williamson county in COM
pany with two companions. We had
just entered upon wide, level expanse,
then almost devoid of vegetation, when
I saw several tarantulas crossing the
road just ahead of us. Borrowing the
drivers whip sprang out and des.
patched three of them, when cry of
warning from the ambulance caused me
to examine my surroundings. [ i'm
mediately became aware that a heavier
contract confronted me than I was pre-
pared to carry out; for a few yards
away the earth swamed with big spi-
ders, moving slowly in the same direc-
tion as those I had first seen.
1 hurriedly resumed my seat in the
vehicle, and our party had moved for.
ward for some distance without en-
countering more tarantulas, when sud.
denly we came upon what might be
called the main body of their grand
army, marching due west. There
could be no question as to the course
pursued, as we were moving directly
toward them, and it was then almost
sundown. AS our route lay southwark
We had come upon the column at right
angle, and on either hand, as far as the
range of vision extended, there was no
apparent diminution in the spider force,
which moved with the uniformity of a
trained army. In this vast concourse
about one square foot seemed the indi-
vidual marching space that was allowed.
Our drivers glanced uneasily around
and said something about turning back,
but by this time the spiders had COW
cred all the ground in our rear, so that
retreat was quite as hazardous as an adj
vance. The horses were urged rapidly
forward.
1 suppose some commotion was cree.
ted among the tarantulas Immediately
in the road, but those on either side
seemed totally oblivious of our pres
ence. We felt some uneasiness about
the horses, but they came through with
out being bitten. Amid surroundings
30 distracting I took little note of the
distance travelled, but we must have
gone fully half a mile before leaving
the spiders behind us. Whence came
SO grand an army, and whittier 1t was
tending, I am unable to say, but there
is little doubt that the spiders, by some
mysterious understanding, had assem-
bled from a considerable territory, and
were moving by common consent to
some more desirable region.
The gentleman adds that, fearful uf
being called Munchausen, he for u
long time said nothing of his adventure,
but that he has recently found an
experience similar to his own chronicled
in the official report of some United
States surveyors, who, while working
IN the West, saw vast numbers of huge
hairy spiders moving in a body with
he regularity of we'll disciplined
soldiers.