The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-26
TROPICAL CREATURES
HOT COUNTRIES ABOUND IN OFTEN
sIVE, BUT USEFUL, sCAvENGERs.
The Creeping Land Crab and Soaring
Buzza rd-Vipers and Insects Not
ViciOusly Disposed.
New York Evening Post.

bodies which would otherwise produce dire
pestilence. There is considerable difference
between these two scavengers. The buzzard
Is an absolute craven, fearful even Of its
own ugly shadow, and touches nothing that
is not already decaying; while the crab.
when ravenous, seeks prey, devouring live
kittens and other helpless small things.
At Belize, British Honduras, there is an
annual swarm of small land-crabs: the ne
groes then catch many as possible and
keep them in barrels, sailed, for future con-
sumption The hermit-crab, common in
those lands, is Objectionable for other rea-
sons-its palatable flesh oftens proves pois-
onous to the misguided ones who enjoy it.
The hermit monopolizes any empty shell of
convenient shape and uses it as a movable
cell, until his growth compels him to seek
a larger one. 1t is odd to see periwinkle
shell, several inches in diameter, steered
over the ground by one projecting crab
claw which, kept busy out of doors, grows
much bigger than the other, sheltered and
inactive.
In hot countries, where thorough sani-
tary measures are not taken land-crabs
and buzzards serve great purpose, and this
is so well recognized that in some commune
ties it is unlawful to kill a carrion bird-a
malodorous, and timid, this creature can
arouse only disgust and pity. Decidedly
distance lends enchantment to the buzz
yards appearance. for when soaring on high
its circling flight is admirably graceful. But
company of these scavengers catches sight
OF some still form upon the earth below
Swiftly the birds swoop downward, always
clrcling, from the height where they had
appeared like mere specks. They settle
upon the leafess branches of some dead
tree Eagerly the black eyes scan the body
they perceived from afar, and, having made
sure that nothing is at hand to dispute their
right, they partly unfold their rusty-black
wings and steadily light upon their ban
Quet.
When these black-robed undertakers re-
tire millions of ants soon swarm upon the
skeleton ard clean the bones, which, i'm a
few days, become whitened by the strong
sunlight.
WILL GET USED TO THEM.
Persons who have always resided in CITIES
imagine they could not face the many OBJ
noxious animals that dwell in wild places.
IL these same individuals have a chance to
become familiar with such surroundings,
they soon cease to regard them with fear:
partly because experience convinces them
they formerly entertained an exaggerated
idea of the risks to be incurred. The rat
tlesnake. for instance. is not half as dread
full as some people imagine; he is, in fact,
good natured, and he also gives notice of
his presence. Unless cornered or fearful of
attack. the RATHER will attend strictly to its
own affairs. particularly if in search of a
tender rabbit, or hurrying TO its hole-in-the-
earth home to tell it's adventures to its
bosom friend, the armadilo it is curious
fact that in some instances rattlesnake
and an armadilio occupy the same hole
viper really to be dreaded is the
tilla Qittle arrow, called by the Maya In
dams uolpoch (evil minded) because 1t at
tacks without provocation. Full grown,
this snake is about yard long, of one
thcknes SIS throughout, and its color is that
of a dry stick. Unlucky woodgatherers have
picked I'D this viper by mistake There is
no known antidOte to its venom. The uol-
pooh draws itself up like maggot, end to
end, and hurls itself at it's victim few
feet distant. 1t does this as easily from the
ground as from the top of the cabbage
palm, it's favorite abiding place 1t has
been asserted that venomous snakes do not
climb trees. How. then, does this one get
back home
But even with this aggressive foe an ex-
perenced traveller might prefer to take his
chances of escape rather than be compelled
to pass through a thcket infested with
wood ticks, particularly those of the small
est kind mere red specks that, under micro
scope, appear like miniature turtles The
tick just buries it's head under ones skin
and stays there to suck until completely
bloated, and for all the rest of its life. for
A few hundred ticks induce high fever The
surest way of executing the enemy is to
use hot water and brush or to rub the
affected part with alcohol. AS a preventive
the Indians rub themselves with tobacco
juice. 1t Is during the dry season that the
tick does his business. The pedestrian or
passes. and swarms fall on him from every
twig. In a little while he frantically desires
to scratch off his own skin. The many
species of flies and the most enterprising
mosquitoes are insignificant when compared
with the tick.
THE SINGING ANT.
The snake coiled at the foot Of a tree to
enjoy its siesta may remain unperceived by
the pedestrian, but if the latter happens to
lay a hand upon the bark of that tree
sharp pain may send thrill through his
body, from head to foot No. indeed. the
snake has nothing to do with this. An ant
is the offending party; the quality of its
bite makes up for lack of quantity. Formic
acid is painfully effective. momentarily But
it is not the ants fault if a hand happens
to come in it's way Ants are particularly
annoying as burglars that cannot be shot
Whole armies enter closed boxes of provi-
ions in the dead of night and carry off the
food crumb by crumb However, the ant
does not seem half so bad when the cent?
pede turns up eight inches long, pinkish-
brown alarmingly swift, and evil-eyed. To
feel one of these, with its hundred legs.
chasing it's own tail around your throat is
not amusing-except to the centipede. Try
to whisk it off. and the two long rows of
feet clutch tightly while the sharp nipper-
Jaws inflict bite after bite, producing pain
full inflammation. If nothing more: The CEN
tipede lacks courtesy and is not timidly I'M
obtrusive; 1t appears to enjoy prone
made on human surfaces. and becomes UNI
duly excited when interfered with-that is
all. first-rate swimmer, this scolopendra
is not easily drowned if knocked into
bucket of water; and to crush 1t under foot
is difficult. because express trains are not
readily Overtaken.
ences, their victim looks with complacency
upon the slow-coach scorpion that never
rushes if trying TO go around the earth
in eight days. Anyway, the scorpion is not
mother scorpion, the unfortunate being,
doomed by nature to be devoured by her
own progeny. 1t is rare, indeed, for any
one to die of a scorpion sting, though the
tongue and some fever. Natives of Hondu-
raS assert that indigo is a good antidote.
but ammonia is the best remedy for poison
Gus virus, generally. AS long as the scor-
ciprocate: otherwise there is q fair proba-
bility that the neat little dart at the end
of its interesting but woeful tail will be
thrust into the aggressor's skin, injecting
the virulent white liquid stored in gland
at the base of the sting.
The scorpion is often alluded to as II ~
were a kind of viper. This is simply
know that it belongs to the spider family.
Another member of the same family is the
big jumping spider called. by the Maya In
dams. chitun Its long legs are exceedingly
active and it's mouth has spiteful, threat
ening expression. The chitun attacks very
promptly when startled and its bite Is fatal
in some cases.
TO BE DREADED.
The great hairy tarantula is commonly
dreaded though not aggressive; in fact.