New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
A FEROCIOUS INSECT.
HOW A SPIDER EATS BIRDS.


( from Ihe New-Orleans Times Democrat
II asked to name the thing most dreaded when
would be the centipede. Scorpions are bad enough:
soma species Of ants are extremely troublesome:
various minute insects Ike the bette rouge or red
bug the chigoe or ''gger." and the 'garrapata"
centpcde is by far the worst Of them all It has
h0i as hat its hi name w9nd ndSae hundred feet
sonous And once lef centipcde get on your skin
move IT quickly enough to prevent It from digging
rs venomous claws into your fesh II moves with
the celebrity OF creased lightning" and when seen
running across an open floor appears like brown
There is one other object more horrible to con-
template. and that is the tarantua. which also
bwsse WITH S b & 1t a0es not Sa
but leaps directly at with vicousness not to
be mistaken. l remember we'll my frst attempt to
capture one. in the beautiful botanical garden OF
Martinique. in the. West Indies. was ,strong
along the avenue OF stately palms tsInce destroyed
by a hurrcane,. when saw big tarantua direct
ly in the path before me. half hidden beneath the
hand and poked the spider 20 make It get into the
open Instead OF OF turning about TO escape IT. mad
inches That was enough for me; I did not crave
later there dead spider in the path Even in
death II ls an ugly aPpear,ns tnlne iarso ana nary
on another occasion | saw a tarantua on the
wall OF hut by The roadside. right over the door
black woman and her children. were constantly
passing ! called their attention to the creature.
lowed 1t to retreat into the thatch % the roof.
There Is. however. one spider larger than the
an object OF dread in the forests OF the Guanas.
This is the great Bird Spider; the Mygale avicula-
lizards. other small reptiles and even young chick
ons II builds It's nests In the trees and there lies
in walt Just as the house spider does for flies.
leapng upon its victim likc TIGER. II is. in fact.
the tiger Of the rihe. and IS Justly feared by both
In ny excursion into the woods used TO pass
weG an ol' prncaf5 m" ovorhanrig bark above he
hollow n family OF bats had affixed Themselves six
The aIwavs clung in the form Of triangle. three
bats in the upper then row ot Two. single
hat al the bottom one day missed the lover
most one but the next day his place had been sup
piled The following day two were gone and when
inquired OF my negro guide ne reason and man
a bird spider had captured him.
FOR small birds among tho grapes. tho hanging
racemes OF creamy white flowers attracting birds
and insects owing TO the honey which they con,
tained. The nrst bird sho, there was BIZ ck-and
yellow "sugar-cat"r" 80 called from its llflng for
sugar and all sweet thinFs. 4 frequent visitor 10
the sugar plantation during nc noii.nE sea,
lust then, and nrst noting tho location OF the ono
had shot ! went IN purs1i, & o' & tn" S:ronl soon
he must be somewhere r"fr - was pcerlng
nv attention 70 very corlcal sight Il a
large lizard. which. with one 700; placed upon tho
his diamond-hriehi cycs 10 had stripped or some
OF the feathers from the dead bird. which hc was
ha sfilv devourlng having nrsf dra II some dis
tance from the spot whore = had fallen 4 tufi ~
yellow feathers stuck n rs nose and these he h,
his right forefoot at IN" same time cylng me very
suepiciousv First he would make DIG NJ hts nose
then cock his head over 20 one side with malicious
CLEAN in his eyes a. II 20 ask what was going 20
do about IL. The whole proceeding seemed 20 me
50 entertaining that. as there were sugar-"atcrs Tn
plenty was ready 10 leave Mr.. Lizard IN posses
sion and go Of IN search ~ another bird.
But suddenly Just as was turning away. black.
hairy object fen upon tho lizard: there was short
sharp struggle and my predatory friend si
in death.
was much disgusted al the termination OF the adj
venture | might easily have Killed tho spider (fo-
such Il was) but did NOT, l"ft him to enjoy his
double dinner OF bird and lizard.
II was indeed revolving spectacle TO SEQ that
horrible thing descend upon its victim Its bite
sting IS said to be extremely poisonous. and con-
clule0 .ha; this must he from the expeditions
manner I'm which II caused tho death OF the unucky
little rcpillc Itself as long its slayer The in
cident made me decidedly nervous. The hideOus-
looking but harmless. iguanas have habit OF
darting noisily through and over the dead leaves
on the ground; and for a long time. at every rush
would leap hastily aside. under the impression that
It was one of those huge and venomous spiders.