Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-08-02
STREET OF SPIDERS.
CURIOUS DISCOVERIES MADE IN A
 FLORIDA THlCKET.

4 Fruitiike Crab Tricks of Nature Pro.
 teet the DefeDssless.
 Once, in attempting to force my way through the thick bay cedar underbrugh of one of the smaller and outer keys Of the Florida reef 1 suddenly broke into an opening which had the appearance of | narfoW street or trail. The brush was six or eight feet in height and re- markedly thick, and the heat was intol- erable The branches and leaves which were interlaced formed 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 in the opening or street it yas 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- yals of i've or six feet. They were of extraor6inaIY strength and were thrown out aud poised in marvellous manner In tie center of each of these gilken bar. ners clung huge yellow spider. so ug. ly and conspicuous that 1 stoppodi be- fore the first doubring the evidence of my e5ess and IS 1 looked the first vel low spider Gf the series disappeared. There was no 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 not am the spider solved the mystery by appearing again, first dimly, then like many spiders quiyering ill the strong light, finally resolving itself into one huge yellow fellow that moved like pendulum to and fro and then stopped 1touched 1t gently with switch held, whefeupon it deliberately began to swing its huge body, imparting to the entire web Yibratory motion which increased ill rapidity until the body of the spider began to grow fainter, and in a few moments became invisible. II Was all very simple when understood. The spider when alarmed began 10 swing, gradually increasing the motion until it disappeared or could not be fol lowed by the eye. Thinking the case might be exceptional, I again touched the spider, and again it literally swung itself out Of sight
 Crawling beneath the web. con- ffonted the next spider, which also was yellow or saffron in color, with black, velYetlil1e markings, hanging ill the sun like il great topaz, it's web dotted with the remains of many feasts-emp- Y skeletons of insects, bits of pearly fish scales. perhaps dropped by some pass ing bird, delicate feather and mot Icy array ef flies and other insect folk At first the spider paid me scant atten- tiou. then 1 saw slight conyulsive movement of its legs as it imparted the first long swing to it's hammocklike web that put this wonderful life saving device, for this ii was, in motion It was the spiders defense aud protection from enemies.
 Certain birds undoubtedly preyed upon the spiders, and this faculty of mysteriouslv disappearing had on more than one occasion served it we'll 1 could easily imagine the astonishment of the bird when darting down to seize the plump and showy 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 a turn, grew elump of cactus, with here and there 4 ripe fruit rich in the purple of full ma tufity-a brilliant contrast to the green leaves. As l stood watching the hermit crabs dropping from the bushes and seuffxiHg away over the sand 1 thought 1 saw d ripe fruit of the cactus move; then, to my amazement, it passed di- rectly out of sight, not after the fash ion of the spiders, butby slipping around one of the big leaves. l almost expected to see the others follow it, but nothing of the kind occurred I walked along and placed myself in a position to see behind the bread, fiat, pear shaped leaf There was the purple object, now nov ing cautiously around with the evident intention Of keeping itself out of sight, and then l saw that 1t was X crab, q crab with purple back the exact tint of the fruit, while its general shape, when the gs were tucked up beneath the body, laade the crab | mimic of the cactus fruit a protective resemblanee so perfect that the crab was safe from sharp eyed enemies, and should have passed it by had it remained quiet but the phenomenon of moving fruit at tracted my attention and led to its dis covery
 For some distance l followed this street of spiders, creeping beneath the webs when 1 could, and everywhere these tricks of nature to protect the de fenseless were apparent The eggs of the gulls simulated the sand Ill color; the little mantis, which elung to the big cedar, was the exact tint of the leaves anu deiied detection until acci dentally brushed off. Over all life i'll