The evening times., 1895-11-09
BOe IIPERT's DISCOVERY
-
Alleged Deadly ''cueurazza" Of
Texas Only a Harmless Beetle.
DIR. sCHWARz EXAMINES ONE
Spiders, Scorpions and Tarantulas VIII
All Poison, But Rarely Kin Human
iBeings-Look Ont for the Spider
With Red DOt-Centfpedes Are
Not So Dangerous.


DIR. SchwarZ, an expert attached to the
bureau OF entomology, has just returned
from a trip to Texas. He went down there
to investigate the sensational stories which
had been sent to. the department about the
| deadly bite of an insect known down there as
the ''cucuraZza."
It's bite is said to be certain death, and
hundreds OF persons annually perish from its
bite. All through the southern part of the
Lone Star State it is regarded as terror,
and is usually killed on sight. At San
Diego the doctor was asked IL he knew of
| any cure for the bite OF the cucurazza. He
| jokingiy replied that he had never shot one,
but that probably samputation would be
the proper thing.
He was then Informed that the creature
| In question was teO swift to be shot with q
| pistol, and that amputatiOn was OF no avail.
| masmuch as the person bitten usually died
before a surgeon could be secured.
DETERMINED TO GET ONE.
DR.. Schwarz made up his mind that he
must see and examine one of these dread
| cd insects, even though at the risk of his
Hfe.- Needless to say that he was mt much
alarmed, for scientific knowledge bcgets
wantOfscnnfidcnce in popular report. Sew
| eral of the bravcst young men Of San Diego
| were persuaded TO hunt up specimen,
which was brought into town in triumph.
| The expert IRON washington became some
what uneasy for the first time when he
| saw the size OF the wooden box in which
the dangerous captive was shut up.
Meanwhile a crowd of people had assem-
fbled for the purpose OF seeing the learned
buk.lunter and The cucuraZza settle mat
| Thnr ST n,t1 "a n
a respectful distance. DR.. Schwarz, with
| some caution, removed the cover OF the lit
| tie box and locked inside.
The terrible creature was there, all safe.
| II was beetle, about an inch long ana
| very pretty, in color polished Dlack, WIN
| border of deep blue. To the horror OF an
observers, the doctor took the INSECT De-
| tween his fingers, placed it on the back of
his left hand and permitted IL to pinch the
skin with its mandibles.
The cucurazza was nothing more nor less
than a common species or ground Deetie-
absolutely harmless, incapable OF bltlng
and actually beneficial to .uan, inasmuch
as 1t devours caterpiliars and potato
bugs.
DR.. Schwarz, who is probably the great
est expert on beetles living, recognized 1t
at the first glance as the familiar Pasimo-
dus depressus. 1t is the only large carabid
in Southern Texas. How ii acquired It's
evil reputation can hardly be imagined.
Yet scarcely day passes that somebody
does not die, as alleged, from the bite OF
this animal.
The Mexican natives of Texas believe
that fatal consequences follow the stings
of many insects and arachnids. including
the tarantula, the centipede, the black scor-
pion and a big species OF cicada, which
has an extremely mOurnful song.
ALL THE STORIES.
American settlers in the southern part
OF the State, new and old, fully believe
all of the stories, and from that source
come many of the remarkable yarns that
ind their way TO the newspapers. The
Mexlcans are much afflicted with blood
diseases, on which account bites that
would be harR,lessto other people are often
dangerous to them. This may have some
thing to do with the matter.
The most dangerous of all spiders is the
''black widow" which has red spot on
the under side. To this species belongs the
famous ''katipo," OF New Zealand, whose
bite is said to be fatal to human beings. 1t
is very small
The most famed and DETAINED of all
spiders is the ia rantnla OF Italy, which has
been supposed to cause peculiar nervous
disease called "tarantisnnus' or "tarantula
| dance. A person bitten is said to sing
| continuously, cry, laugh and dance. In
some cases the symptoms are different;
some sleep all the time. while some cannot
force themselves to look at black or blue.
For cure a tune called ''tarantola" is
played and the afflicted individual is thus
induced to dance until exhausted. fter
which long sleep brings about recovery.
OF course, this is all nonsense, and the
spider bite has nothing to do with it. A
really dangerous spider of Southern Eu-
rope is the '.malmignatte," which has
small "a la pxic
The American tarantulas. plentiful in the
southwest part OF the United States, be-
long to different family. They are very
large, hairy and powerful. Frequently they
catch birds, and it is said that sometimes
they capture fishes. These are the arach-
nds that build houses with trap-doors.
The dwelling is boX OF earth cemented
together by an eXCretion of the animal.
1t has little trap-tioor at one end, with
a strong elastic thread to serve the purpose
of a spring. The nest looks like nothing
but clod of dirt, and the door shuts SO
perfectly that no trace Of an opening can
be seen when il is closed.
NUMEROUS IN WARM CLIMATES.
These spiders are unpleasantly numerous
IN warm 1atitudes on this continent and
are justly feared because Of their poison
GUS bites. They are nocturnal in habit
and spin no webs TO entrap their prey.
They lie in ambush, waiting for their VIC
tim, catch it, like the hunting spider, by
powerful leaps.
The voracity of spiders generally is ex-
treme, and they devour not only all sorts
of insects, but also each other. 1t is very
likely that many people have died Of the
bites of these arachnids. but no case Of the
kind has ever been authenticated satis-
factorily. Evidence in such matter is
difficult TO obtain. because. not only the
wound, but also the animal that inflicted
II, must be exhibited in order to render
the testimony conclusive.
Centipedes are usually associated with
tarantulas to some extent in the popular
mind. though they belong to an entirely
different class of animals. They figure
largely in stories contributed to news
papers by imaginative writers.
1t In a common belief that their legs
are poisonous. and that the latter will
leave a trail that burns like fire II the
animal runs over the bare flesh. This is
wholly a mistake. The creature is nat
urally iimid, and will not try to bite if it
can get away.
There isaspecies which has the remarkable
properly of secreting a phospho crescent sub
stance. which seems TO exude from the body
and ts left like n shining trail where the
creature has passed.
The largest and most formidable cent?
pedcs are common in the south west part of
the United States. Their highly organized
muscular and nervous system, and the
length and power OF their legs betoken
ha hifa of great activity while their forrnid.