The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-15
SPIDERS, WASPS AND SOUR
RELS.

we would ike to tell how q spider re-
Gently provided for his comfort on the
road. The insect cannot be suspected of
having taken hint from Pullman, but
it seems as though some ingenious per-
son might contrive to apply the spiders
plan to the lessening of human fatigue
when making long journeys.
A professional friend, DR.. D., de-
sired to send fine specimen of the spi-
der tribe to medical acquaintance who
was exceedingly curious in the study of
such matters. AS the readiest means Of
transit, he inclosed it in a common
wooden box, and despatch the tiny trav-
eller by express. The box, however,
was too roomy for the spiders wants
and he seems to have disliked the iolting
incident to travelling, as he had re-
course to very ingenious remedy.
When the box reached it's destination
and the consignee opened it. he was
equally surprised and delighted to find
that his insect charge had spun for him
self superb hammock, securely hung
from the four corners of his prison
house, in which he had couched, in
sailor fashion, as softly as he does in his
native lair.
But cunning as the spider has shown
itself to be, this insect is not match
for its adroit enemy, the wasp. The
subterfuges resorted to by animals in
search Of food have been regarded by
the general reader as the most interest
ing and instructive portion of the works
Of naturalists, An incident illustrative
OF the remarkable sagacity of the wasp
came under our own observation not
long since. A blue wasp known as the
solitary wasp, because it lives alone in
its little clay nest. hurled itself one
morning in our rambles upon the strong,
we'll shaped web of a large spider. Here
it set up loud buzzing, like that of a
fly when accidentally entangled in a
similar web. The spider. watching at
the door of his silken domicile, stole
cautiously forth. His advance was slow,
for he evidently felt that he was ap.
preaching no common enemy. The ap-
parently desperate. yet fruitless, efforts
of the wasp to free himself encouraged
the spider and lured him forward. But
when within some three inches of his
intended victim, the wasp suddenly freed
himself from his mock ENHANCEMENT.
and darting upon the poor spider, in
moment, as it were, pierced him with
his deadly sting in hundred places.
The wasp then bore his ill-gotten spoil
to b lowly home.
One of the most interesting sights we
ever beheld came under our notice in
western town. 1t was an emigration of
squirrels on a certain day on the bank
of the Ten Mile Creek, near Toledo,
Ohio, when the number of squirrels
moving was unusually large. Among
the squirrels was one that exhibited
such motherly care and affection for her
two little ones as to prove most touch
ing spectacle. She reached the bank Of
the creek where a crossing was to be
made. The little squirrels were quite
timid about going near to the,water, but
the mother coaxed them until they
seemed to be satisfied to do as she
wished. She ran along the shore, and
finding piece of bark about foot long
and six inches wide, dragged it to the
waters edge and pushed it in the water,
so that only small part Of one end of
the bark was resting on the shore. She
then induced her little ones to get on
the bark. and they at once cuddled
closely together, when the old squirrel
pushed the bark and its load into the
stream, and taking one end of the bark
in her teeth. pushed it ahead of her I'M
til the opposite bank was reached, where
the young squirrels quickly scampered
up the bank of the creek, where the
mother rested for a few minutes, when
the journey was resumed.
Thus it ia clearly shown that even the
humblest OF Gods creatures are not de-
ficient in artifice and address. George
Bancroft Griffith in Observer.