The National tribune., 1901-04-11


lists at Norwalk, some Is miles from Los
Angeles. They also sell a vast number
Of shells, limitless quantity OF which Is
ever at hand on the shores and upon the
islands Of the Pacific Ocean.
Very few live wild creatures used to
exist in California, because at one time
the State was merely the limit of the
| Great American Desert. Even the very
Indians, nearly 10000 OF whom used to
wander around the barren mesas and ster-
lie valleys, have disappeared before the
march of advancing civilization. Follow
| ing these aborigines has gone the horned
| toad, the centipede, the trap-doOr spider,
the tarantula, and the ground-squirrel.
Before the advance OF the plow each
of these tribes Of nomads is becoming
scarcer and more laborious to obtain in
quantity.
l have just had an interview with a
| gentleman who makes it his business to
supply naturalists and curio merchants
| with these singular specimens of Califor-
mia native life-these living wonders Of
the Golden State.
Nineteen years ago, when he crossed
the country in a wagon, the tarantula
spider In the valleys just north of San
Diego abounded so that the ground was
covered with them, so much so that the
passengers were unable to descend from
the conveyance, for fear of being bitten
by these pugnaclOus wretches. He gave
me an account Of his experience as a ta-
rantula- hunter and purveyor to the local
merchants who supply the museums and
colleges Of the Western World with speci-
mems of this strange insect
The tarantula is still found on the un-
cultivated plains of California, but where
the Dlow has been he is not Living in q
hole III the ground of his own manufacture
he constructs web at the entrance to
catch the festive insect. Every now and
then he comes mp to examine his trap
and devour the unfortunate Crickets,
flies, bugs, etc, are all fish for his net.
There. all alone, for the tarantula. unlike
man, is too belligerent in his nature to
enjoy companion, he eats his lonely
meal.
The hunter, finding hole in the
ground, pours some water down, his
wagon being at hand loaded with a sup
ply Of water for the purpose; the creature
Immediately appears to investigate, and is
seized at the throat by a pair of pincers;
the rest of his body is too soft to be treat
ed in so severe manner. Properly held
at respectful distance, he is placed in
small cardboard box. There he will exist
without food, water, or exercise for three
months, if required
Should the hunter pour water down the
hole and then absent himself, upon his re,
turn within five minutes he will discover
that the industrious insect has built an
other web over the entrance and Is be-
low, awaiting, as usual, the arrival of
prey. The mother tarantula makes n lit
tie soft bag OF spun silk, in which she de-
p0sits her % eggs. With her young she
oft ventures to the happy hunting grounds
above, but upon the least alarm the nu-
merous diminutiye progeny all jump upon
her back, and thus loaded she bolts back
to the family residence and remains until
danger is over.
The tarantula lives alone each indiyid
ual adult spider seeking in due time its
own separate residence. for their quarrel
some dispositions prevent their DWELLING
in harmony together.
y male spider will not even live with
female.
After few hundred live tarantulns
have been collected together, each in its
individual box, for il is q case of "When
Greek meets Greek then comes the tag
OF war; and the survival of the fittest, if
they are placed together, the collection is
forwarded to the naturalist, who removes
the intestines from each spider and stuffs
the skin of the creature with cotton. 1t
is then mounted ON cardboard and left
to dry for month. Then it is ready for
the college professor in the East or else
where who desires to add tarantulas to
his collection, or for the sale Of the curio
merchants OF the California towns.
The operation of taxidermy involved il
annoying, because the fuzz blown from
the insect causes irritation Of the skin; so
that. even with the best of remedies at
hand, the operator has frequently to leave
work for several days to recover from the
Irritating effects of the tarantula poison
While tho bite of a tarantula is not fatal
it is certainly, according to reports, pain
full and distressing; doubtless a nip re-
ceiyed from one while being taken by the
pincers, when filed with wrath at his ar
rest, would result in extreme suffering, vet
the reputation for fatality that has gone
forth respecting the bite of the spider is
doubtless, entirely grounded on the imap-
ination.
Tarantulas grow to the enormous size
Of four inches in length from head to tail.
They have eight legs, four on each side,
with which they get over the ground very