The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-08-05
THE BRIDE Dimes OFF THE GROOM.
Queer Facts and Pecuiiarities About Spi-
ders Not Generally Known.

ders Not Generally Known.
Margaret Wentworth Leighton has
been spending considerable time study
ing spiders, and the results of her
studies are embodied in the article she
contributes to the Popular Science
Monthly. According to her the spider
is deserving of more attention than it
receives, especially as it is more skill
full than man. This is shown in the
fact that the spiders thread is used in
the telescope because man has been
unable to manufacture one SO delicate.
As rule the female spider is much
larger and stronger than the male.
The husbands place as the weaker
vessel is clearly shown by the fact
that after the honeymoon, which is
always brief, the bride dimes off the
groom and his career ends. In the
case of spiders, the husband literally
supports his family.
Spiders differ materially in charac-
ter, habits, tastes and size. Some
prefer to live in houses or cellars, and
never seek the sunlight, others live
under water all their lives, while others
burrow in the earth like moles. Many
spiders never leave their webs, but
wait for their prey, while others go
boldly forth and attack what they may
find that will serve for food. The
most adventurous spiders construct
sort of balloon from their webs and
then sail away through the air, trust
ing to fate to land them in a desirable
spot.
There are many instances of spiders
that loved music. One lived for long
time in the room where the boy Bee
thoven practiced, and it was noticed
that when he played his beloved violin
the spider knocked off work and did
not resume again until the music
ceased.
The spinning apparatus by which
the spider constructs its web is one OF
the most delicate instruments ever
created. Tho 81 ''rets, or splnners,
are little organs rear end OF the
body. Each haa number OF very
minute hs!es in it and through these
holes the silk flows in liquid form,
hardening as soon as it meets the air.
| The strands from several holes unite
and form what is called the spiders
thread.
The common garden spider, which
makes net of typical shape anu
sometimes of large size, exercises the
utmost care i'll its construction, and
uses two sorts of silk. One is smooth
and the other is covered with sticky
substance In moving about on the
web the spider is careful to walk on
the smooth silk, whore there is no
danger of becoming entangled in the
snare intended for unwary flies.
About one hundred and fifty years
ago a Frenchman, M. LIE Bon, made
some stockings, purses and gloves OF
the webs of spiders, and some years
ago the Empress of Brazil presented
a dress to Queen Victoria, the mate
rial of which was woven by the spid-
ers of South America.
Spiders moult several times during
their lives, and on each occasion come
forth in a garb of new color. They
are greatly affected by the weather,
and on the approach of storm take
refuge in safe spot. They have been
known to hide in this way before there
were any indications of the approach
ing storm discernible to man.
Spiders receive great deal of con-
sideration in India, where so many
dumb animals are treated with consld-
Grafton and even reverence. Children
there keep spiders for pets, and it is
nothing unusual to see little tot lead
ing an enormous spider by string
tied around its body. Such pet spid-
ers are fed on worms and insects and
they readily accommodate themselves
to captivity and take food from the
hand.