The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-01
STREET OF SPIDERS.
CURIOUS DISCOVERIES MADE IN A
FLORIDA THlCKET.

A Fruitlike Crab--Trioiss of Nature Pro-
tect the Defenseless.
Once, in attempting TO force nv way
through the thick bay cedar underbrusb
OF one of the smaller and outer keys of
the Florida reef | suddenly broke into
an opening which had the appearance
OF narrow street or trail. The brush
was six or eight feet in height and re-
markably thick. and the heat was intol-
cradle The branches and leaves which
were interlaced formed a perfect net
work and gave shelter to innumerable
crabs, which had taken possession Of
old birds nests, while under foot the
eggs and newly Matched terms almost
covered the ground.
Once III the opening or street it was
found to be about seven feet across,
winding away out of sight, but my way
was blocked by several curious obsta-
cles-a succession of webs stretched
vertically across the pathway at inter
walls OF five or six feet They were of
extraordinary strength and were thrown
ont and poised in a marvellous manner,
In the center az each of these silken bar.
riers chung huge yellow spider, so ug.
ly and conspicuous that stopped be-
fore the first doubling the evidence of
my eyes, and as | looked the first yell
low spider of the series disappeared.
There was 10 doubt about it, At first
so striking and gaudy, it slowly faded
away, and through the web could sec
other yellow spiders beyond, suggest
ing that it was no illusion.
While l stood wondering in the hot
sun the spider solved the mystery by
appearing again, first dimly, then like
many spiders quivering in the strong
light, finally resolving itself into one
huge yellow fellow that moved like
pendulum to and fro and then stopped.
touched it gently with switch held,
whereupon it deliberately began 10
swing its huge body, imparting to the
entire web vibratory motion which
increased in rapidity until the body of
the spider began to grow fainter, and
in few moments became invisible. 1t
was all very simple when understood.
The spider when alarmed began to
swing, gradually increasing the motion
until it disappeared or could not be fol-
| lowed by the eye. Thinking the case
might be exceptional, again touched
| the spider, and again it literally swung
itself ont Of sight
Crawling beneath the web, l con-
fronted the next spider, which also was
yellow or saffron in color, with black,
velvetlike markings, hanging in the
sun like a great topaz, its web dotted
| with the remains of many feasts-emp-
ty skeletons of insects, bits of pearly fish
scales, perhaps dropped by some pass
! ing bird, delicate feather and mot
ley array OF flies and other insect folk.
! At first the spider paid me scant atten.
| ton, then | saw slight convulsive
movement Of its legs as it impaired the
! first long swing to its hammocklike
web that put this wonderful life saving
device, for this it was, i'll motion. 1t
was the SPIDERS defense and protection
| from enemies.
Certain birds undoubtedly preyed
upon the spiders, and this faculty OF
mysteriously disappearing had on more
than one occasion served it well.
could easily imagine the establishment
of the bird when darting down to seize
the plump and snowy spider to find that
it had slipped away.
There was much in this street Of vel
low spiders to distract the mind from
the intense heat that poured down from
the almost vertical sun. In the middle
of the path, beyond q turn, grew
clump of cactus, with here and there &
ripe fruit rich in the purple OF full ma
turity-a brilliant contrast to the greer
leaves. AS stood watching the hermit
crabs dropping from the bushes ant
scurrying away over the sand l though
saw a ripe fruit of the cactus move
then, to my amazement, it passed oil
rectly out of sight, not after the fash
ion of the spiders, but by slipping arount
one of the big leaves. Ialmost expected
to see the others follow it, but nothing
of the kind occurred. l walked along
and placed myself in position to SCI
behind the broad, fiat, pear shaped leaf
There was the purple object, now NOV
ing cautiously around with the eviden
intention of keeping itself out of sight
and then l saw that it was crab,
crab with a purple back the exact tin
of the fruit, while its general shape
when the legs were tucked up beneath
the body. made the crab mimic of tn
cactus fruit, protective resemblance s.
perfect that the crab was safe from
sharp eyed enemies, and should hav
, passed it by had it remained quiet bu
+ the phenomenon of moving fruit at
tracted my attention and led to its dis
covery.
For some distance l followed thi
street of spiders, creeping beneath tn
webs when / could, and everywher
these tricks of nature to protect the de
fenseless were apparent The eggs @
the gulls simulated the sand i'll colog
the little mantis, which chung to th
: big cedar, was the exact tint OF tn
leaves and defied detection until acci
dentally brushed off, Over all life i
the secluded spot nature had throw
her protecting mantle of mimicry. =
l ~