Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-11-04
TERRIBLE TARANTULA
Facts About Spider With Bad Repu-
tation. .,

The famous tarantula, sometimes
represented as one Of the terrors or
the arid portions of the southwestern
states and northern Mexico, is not
really, it seems the tarantula Of history
and of fable.
An eminent authority in such mat
ters, in remarking that the tarantula
is 6 spider, says Of that terrifying
creature that it is the Lycosa Taran-
tula. a species of spider found in some
of the warmer parts of Italy and
Spain. When full grown it is about
the size Of a chestnut and of brown
color. Its bite was at one time sup
posed to be dangerous and tC induce
a kind of dancing disease but now
it IS known not to be worse than the
sting Of a common warsp.
Il is an old fable, extending TO
remotest times, that the bite OF this
spider would produce epilepsy or
strange dancing n ania in its victims
and that this epile Osy or madness
could be relieved only by a particular
kind of music. The tarantula of Italy
and Spain-and it is found in those
countries to-day-has hairy legs with
black markings on them.
1t is very likely that when the early
Spanish explorers came upon the great
spider of the southwest, and seeing
q good deal of resemblance to the
tarartula of the old world, those eX-
plorers, not being entomologists, called
the new spider tarantula. And the
name has persisted.
There seems to be no doubt that the
big spider of Arizona, New Mexico
California, old Mexico and many other
places: is q relative of the tarantula OF
Spain and Italy, and in color, disposl-
ton and the feature of hairy legs
laynan might easily mistake him for
the tarantula. But perhaps there Is
not much in o name so far as spiders
go, and it is just as well 10 avoid II
possible that particular spider which
SC many Americans call the tarantula,
though il is quite certain that the
meanness of it's disposition has been
exaggerated.
Another authority, who has for years
made intimate studies of spiders, says
that when undsturbed spiders never
bite anything except insects useful as
their food, but that when attacked or
cornered all species open their Jaws
and bite if they can, depending on the
size and strength of their jaws. The
stories of death, insanity and lame
ness from the bites Of spiders are
probably untrue.
The species of spider arc difficult OF
enumeration The spiders Of North
America have been studied by Hentz,
Emerton, Kyserling and Thoreil, and
no doubt by number of other men
who have specialized in insects, and 1t
is estimated that there are 500 species
in North america. The spider mas
heart. liver, stomach, intestines,
--thorax, lungs and several other in
tcresting or%ans, as, for example, the
spinning gl,nds and spinncrctS.
It is reccded that good many eX-
periments lave been made to throw
light on tn, effect of spider bites on
man. One distinguished entomologist
actually allowed various species OF
spiders TO bite his hand. Some OF
these drew blood, giving a sensation
like that ola sharp needle prick. The
wounds smTted and swelled somewhat
and itched when rubbed, producing
very much the sensation of mosquito
bites, but NJ permanent i'll effects fol-
lowed.
The Mygde is one Of the best known
of the larg and heavy spiders. 1t is
q native of tropical and sub-tropical
America. / is said that it catches and
kills small birds with its poisonous bite
and then slrks the blood OF its victims.
The body 6 this spider is dead black
! and lis covered with long reddish
brown haiL 1t possesses eight eyes,
placed cloa together in the front Of
its head.
The scsnifc name of that American
spide, called the tarantula is ctenlza
California; and it is one OF the trap
door spiders. 1t is common in Now
Mexico, Arizona and California. Ac-
cording to Kingsley, this spider digs
it's hole in fine soil which when dry
is nearly as hard as brick. These
spider holes are sometimes nearly an
inch in diameter and vary in depth
from two or three inchs to nearly a
foot. The mouth of the hole is en-
largcd and then closed by thick
cover which fits it tightly. That cover