Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-01-19
THE SCAVENGERS Of CUBA
They Are Useful in Many
Ways, But Make Unpleas-
ant Companions.
THE HIDEOUS BUZZARD.
In Some Communities II Is Unlaw-
= full TO Kill This Malodor-
GUS Bird.

Our soldiers in Cuba have no ad-
miration for the big land crabs, and
certainly those creeping creatures are
not attractive. They are, however,
useful allies of the buzzards, repdl-
sive scavengers that consume decaying
bodies which would otherwise produce
dire pestilence There is considerable
difference between these two scaven-
gers. The buzzard is an absolute crav-
en-, fearful even of its own ugly shad-
ow, and touches nothing that is not
already decaying; while the crab when
ravenous. seeks prey. devouriny live
kittens and other helpless small things.
At Belize, British Hondurous, there is
an annual swarm of small land crabs:
the negroes then catch as many as pos
sible and keep them in barrels, sailed.
for future consumption. The hermit
crab. common in those lands is OBJ
jectionable for other reasons Its pala-
table flesh often proves poisonous to
the misguided ones who enjoy it. The
hermit monopolizes any empty shell
of convenient shape and uses 1t as a
movable cell, until his growth con,pels
him to seek 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
sanitary measures are not taken, land
crabs and buZZards serve Il great pur-
pose, and this is so well recognized
that in some communities it is unlaw-
full to kill Il carrion bird-a !ine being
imposed for the Offense. Ugly. malod-
0rous and timid, this creature can
arouse only disgust and pity. Dtcid-
edly distance lends enchantment" u
the buzzard's 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 crcling, from the height where
they had appeared like mere specls.
They settle upon the leafless branches
of some dead tree. Eagerly the black
eyes scan the body they perceived from
afar. and. having made sure that moth
ing is at hand to disturb their right,
they partly unfold their rusty-black
wings and stealthily light upon their
banquet.
When these black robed undertakers
on the skeleton and clean the bones.
which, in "A few davs, become whitened
by the strong sunlight
The scorpion is not half as bad as
his reputation, especially the mother
scorpion, the unfortunate being, doomed
by nature to he devoured by her own
progeny. 1t is rare, indeed. for any
one to die of a scorpion sting, though
the venom induces temporary paralysis
OF the tongue and some fever. Natives
of Honduras assert that indigo is n
good antidote but ammonia is the best
remedy for poisonous virus, generally.
As long as the scorpion is treated with
due respect it will reciprocate; other
wise there is fair probability that
the neat little dart at the end of its in
teresting but woeful tail will bethrust
into the aggressor's skin, injecting IA
thousandth part of drop-no more
of the virulent white liquid stored in
gland at the base of the sting. :
The great hairy tarantula is com
monty dreaded, though not aggressive;
in fact. some persons declare that ii
does not bite, but it should be partcul-
arly avoided on account of its hair.
fine bristles, which, If they enter the
pores of the skin, make exceedingly
bad sores. In places these black hair
ed spiders, whose bodies measure two
inches in diameter. are SO numerous
that occasionly whole armies of them
can be seen changing their quarters.
In such districts it Is always advisable
to shake each garment before donning
1t; also to give boots and shoes good
rapping on their upturned soles, in
order that scorpions and others of the
spider family may have a fair chance
to vacate the premises. This polite
attention may prevent an unpleasant
encounter
AS the crab was first considered, the
crab spider may close the subject un-
der consideration. This curious little
being is too interesting to be left out.
and sufficiently dangerous to guard
against; since one is enough to close
the career of the finest race horse.
When full-grown the am is about the
size of dime; in shape it is like
clawless crab, and it's color is bright
yellow. with brown spots. This pretty
little body is exceedingly venomous
not that IL bites, but because it poisons
the man or beast that has the msfor-
tune to swallow 1t in water, or in fod-
der among which insects are apt to
tumble. One am suffices to cause the
death of horse or mule. 1t is asserted
that a human being poisoned by the
sa ne means continues to exclaim "Am.
ami ami" up to the hour of death; for
which reason the Maya Indians name
the spider thus. No big spider has
such an appetite as this small one; it
consumes an astonishing number of
flies. The am lives on trees, and moth
ing can be more interesting than to
watch it rapidly spinning its great
web. Upon the approach of storm
it quickly draws all fiber back into its
body, and until fair weather again pre-.
walls remains motionless beneath al
leaf OF in any convenient nook.
Music in st. Peters
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