Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-24
BY THOMAS b. HENRY.

RediScovered for the third time in
history In depression left by q
woman'S high heel in the sand at
Chesapeake Beach. the lost atypus, one
of the most mysterious and colorful
of North American tarantulas. has been
deposited at the National Museum.
For nearly a century this spider has
mystified entomologists. 1t first was
described from q specimen found In
glass Jar in the National History
Museum of Paris in 1886. 1t was
labeled only North America" 1t never
was seen again until about 10 years
ago, when Nathan Banks OF the
Bureau of Entomology found one on
Plummer's Island In the Potomac, the
wild life preserve of the washington
Naturalists' Club. Search OF the island
failed to reveal another.
A few days ago Herbert Barbour OF
the staff Of the National Museum noted
strange creature apparently trapped
in the deep hselprint and captured 1t.
It is q jet-black, velvety spider with
bright orange legs. MIR. Barbour turned
it over to Clarence r. Shoemaker.
National Museum expert on spiders,
who found that the mysterious lost
atypus" had turned Up once more.
Seen Only Three Times.
Although seen only three times, the
creature probably is quite abundant IN
this part Of the country, according to
Mr.. Shoemaker, but is so secretive In
its habits coming out of Its unknown
hiding places only at night, that 1t has
eluded all observers. The present
specimen is a full-grown male. which
explains why 1t was caught. The males
60 ranging far afield in search OF 1ood.
This one probably tumbled on a hlgn
cliff into the sand, where 1t was unable
TO hide.
There are about six members Of the
dreaded tarantula family around WASH
ington, according to Mr.. Shoemaker. all
poisonous, but all so secretive in their
habits that only naturalists know OF
their existence and the spider Is generally
believed to be tropical. There Is only a
technical difference between them and
spiders. Almost everywhere the taran-
tulas are the objects Of a superstitious
dread, but the actual danger, Shoe
maker says, Is grossly exaggerated. They
are poisonous, but the poison is not very
virulent, it would be rare accident Tor
any one to be bitten, and probably the
poison would be so slight as to leave
no noticeable effects.
A Deadly Spider.
Only one spider found In the Vicln-
ity of Washington. Mr.. Shoemaker said.
gives a dangerous bite. This is the
"black widow" especially dreaded by
country people and the subject Of some
frightsome Indian legends to the effect
that any one bitten would swell up, turn
black, and die in the utmost agony.
Actually the black widow" although
the most poisonous Of spiders. seldom
bites a human being. In the tropics its
bite occasionally is fatal. It Is small
spider with very large poison sacks and
only very little poison is necessary to
produce serious effects.
The chance Of being bitten by 1t,
says Shoemaker. Is very remote. Like
the lost atypus, 1t never is seen except
has been exterminated within the city,
although It's webs are seen quite often
in the outlying woods. These webs may
a bush and the ground. The spider
lives in damp leaves at the bottom OF
the web. If an insect Is thrown into
the web it will come out like a flash
a very fat, jet-black spider with a red
spot on Its belly. A bite would result
only from accidently disturbing the nest.
This spider is a close relative OF the
ordinary house spider which is COM
paratively non-poisonous.
They Never Take Offensive.
Nearly all the local spiders are very
secretive, Shoemaker says, and ask only
to be let alone, SO far as man is con-
cerned. They will never take the Of
fensive. After = little handling they
become quite docile.