The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-10
SOME CITIZENS OF TEXAS.
REPTILES AND INSECTS UHosE BITE
rs DREADED.

Not very long ago q woman In one of the
Northern States. writing TO the writer OF the
following article. said she liked Texas, but was
nortally afraid OF its Inhabitants, meaning not
the desperate or any law-defying element OF its
population for these have practically ceased to
exist in Texas-but those other
Creatures that do people harm
The mole ana toad and newt and viper
of which she had had once upon a time q
glimpse. Prompted by this letter. Ihave writ
ten a short account OF some Of these fellow
citizens Of ours. with the predatory remark
that the list Is far fro IN complete and tho de-
scriptions imperfect.
There are many landscapes in Texas as fair rs
tho Garden Of Eden; but 1t is true that the
noWers Of this fertile and romantic land fire.
quontiy hide a Kissing serpent. or some unac-
customed sight OF reptile or Of insect life.
Alligators are numerous In the rivers, bayous,
and the etill waters of the southern portion of
the State. This familiar monster requires no
description, yet II Is always a curiosity 10 the
Northern visitor or immigrant.
Diamond-back rsttlesnakcs and tho smaller
kind have diminished IN the p~opulous localities,
but will multiply forever In the chaparral. the
cactus. the cedars. and the rocks OF the West.
The ella monster, whose qualities and MP
pearapco have been exaggerated. IN. nevcrthe-
sS'- - ~ 'if''us ~ n III
clean spirits and demons, In the solitude OF
caGons and cliffs. 1t grows to be u foot or more
in length. and its bite Is said to be poisonous.
The scorpion. quite small rs compared with
the same Insect In more tropical America,
dwells multitudinously IN the cracks and crew
Ices about the houses. under the bark Of logs
and stumps. under rocks and rubbish-in fact,
more or less everywhere. The little rascal car.
ries q chip on It's shoulder. and holds its jave.
lined tall ever ready for action. 1t is very un-
popular, though not feared.
The horned lizard or frog. as II Is often i'm
properly called. has given notoriety to Texas.
1t abounds on the prairles of the centre and west.
1t is innocent and harmless. yet uncouth and
rrpulsive to the eye. Its back is rough and
spotted; the edges OF Its body. which IL Is capable
OF greatly fattening and distending. are ser.
rated: on Its cheeks are tufts OF spines like
side whiskers, and Its head Is crested with
auadruple horns. 1t is clothed with this
bristling defence to prevent the snakes OF its
locality from swallowing II. II will show fight II
You corner It, but It's valor is n blur and you may
take 1t by the tail or the head almost without
protest. Indeed. II rather enjoys being handled,
and j thlnS | have noticed In It's stony little
eyes certain CLEANS of pleasure at being rubbed
or scratched under the chin. Its little foot, with
Its i've little toes. rests conndingly upon your
finger: and, under the spell of natures mystic
pentagram. which thus with most appealing
h"S ablbh "
put 1t down. and 1t scampers on without adios.
over q large area OF the State, the large red
common, INFINITE aud universal. except in
eastern Texas, these ants dwell together In
IN the woods and fields. and are regarded as a
pest. But although their bite Is painful and
troublesome, they are undoubtedly useful. on
the whole. They are. to a certain extent. scav-
engers, and their la1ors contribute considerably
to the fertility OF the soil. in their economic
arrangements they bring up the sub.soil, which
70 their Gaeitstten.. This Is sestssSsi
minries gra;efully with the adjacent earth.
On the other hand, they are consumers Of
their dwellings. They are a favorite food of the
horned lizard. and some birds occasionally eat
them; On one OCCASION, In company. with u
friend. ! noticed several swallows hopping
about and picking up something near an ant
bed. Al first we thought they were eating the
that they were creedily swallowing. not the
ants. but the seeds OF grass that the ants. had
Z is common TO see, by the, way. the grass grow
Ing with exceptional luxuriance quite near their
haoitntlon.; ihis iaet may have given rise to
that they actually cultivate n kind OF grass or
wild rice for their support; This fourishing
is due to the greater fertility Of the soil. whose
surface has been enriched BY substance brought
from below. and by the decay OF much hetero.
Reneous matter Assem- bled from every direction.
These ants, by reason OF their size and countless
hord.s, are something OF a study for natural
college where | was serving, we had a professor
who was fond Of looking into " natures Infinite
i passed him one morning in the edge of the
growing corn near his house. and noticed that
he was stopping over an ant bed. He said:
These are very Interesting insects; | shall
study them thoroughly: their name Is pOgon-
omgrmet b1rbatus." / think that was what he
passed again soon after. and the erudi,o pro-
fessor, who was enamorcd with the opening
yistas Of knowledge in Texas, was dancing a
lively Jig In the cornheld..
What is the matter. Professor ~
On" yelled he. :" some OF those blamed ants
have crawled up my legs and are giving me
thunder" For practical aud energetic express
sion; the English language Is much superior to
These ants arc about half an inch long and
n Their habits are more or less Ike other ants.
Ing of his coat and going TO work. His princi-
queens establish new colonies; bur l have fire.
Quently seen large numbers OF the males. which
are larger than the working. ants. dispersed and
pose that they were beginning new domi.
Giles. But not so. Having watched them
si"ss''; after A soSpi SS%s SO Such the i,m SH.S'n' dor,
ties as devolve upon them. they excavato a
s sT,. see. sraw na I'M mJ nri' ii, III 1 hole ,u ID nsss, ,Gsm' md
bite OF this insect frequently produces an Itch
ing and swelling that may last for several days.
ga the hand. Their method Of INJECTING a
wound Is rather elaborate. They nrst. with the
mouth or forceps, which is extremely powerful
for so small an animal. bite u hole in the skin.
then drop into It a minute quantity OF poison
Gus fund. which produces the subsequent irrita.
tion and occasional swelling Fortunately, this
ant rarely enters the abode OF man.
Larger and more dangerous than the Italian
insect. from which 1t derives It's name. is the
tnrantula, which 10 very common In u great
portion of the State. Theso tarantulas are four
or five inches long, run very rapidly, and some
times leap a considerable distance. Their color
IN general Is brown or nearly. black. Issuing
from tho head or mouth are too long and ex-
ceedingly sharp fangs. like tusks. only cnrv!ng
downward. Through these the poison is driven
when they bite. In the spring and summer
they are found In holes which they make In the
ground or are seen wandering about the prairies
and woods. The holes are round. about an inch
In diameter, go straight down eight or ten
inches, then turn sidewlre. In this dark pro-
inndity the majestic, spider has Its den or lair.
The favorite food of the tarantula Is rrasshop-
perS. Crickrts. and nlmust any small animal or
insect II can capture. | have seen them climb
small trees, hunting for prey. IL Is said that
they have been known to plunder the young Of
birds nests. Out OF their holes or dcns they
may generally be expelled by pouring in water,
though sometimes this plan Will not succeed.
Occasionally they resolutoly refuse To be taken
by such a device, preferring the discomfort OF
prolonged inundation to the certain no quarter
Of capture. But | have never failed to get ono
out when | wanted 1t; and l MAJ claim.
] think, to be tho inventor OF n new
lad .N nDltn piA cha NnaAH sal nIaNa