Evening star., 1947-09-26
This and That
BIZ Charles +. Tracevell
CHEVY CHASE, Md.

N616VY Cf1ASE, Mo.
Dear Sir:
II recently witnessed dramatic three-way
battle in my back yard. The participants were
golden garden spider, some yellow jackets
and a redbird.
"One day there appeared in shady corner
OF our garden a vertical, orb-shaped spiders
web. At the center of 1t was the female spider
her yellow back markings contrasting with her
brown legs, waiting head down for visitors.
"One Sunday afternoon noticed number
OF yellow jackets buzzing angry around the
yard in the vicinity of the web AS ap-
preached I could see that the web was the
center of the disturbance
Before long one of the yellow jackets flew
close TO the spider, fitted away, flew through
the web once, and then returned, becoming
momentarily entangled. Before he could free
himself the spider had scuttled over and COW
cred him with network of heavy, white
threads The yellow jacket, completely en-
meshed, ceased his struggles as the spider
clamped her jaws on him, and a moment later
the spider returned to the center of the web,
leaving her victim still and lifeless, suspended
cocoon like in his white shroud.
This process was repeated time and time
again, and when a shower dispelled the
swarms of insects 10 of their number had
been caught.
'The next morning looked to see if the
battle had been resumed-but now female
cardinal was fitting about the web, and 1
was just in time to see her fly directly at the
spider and take it in her bill.
THE bird hoped about in the bushes for a
minute, and I could hear the crunch of the
spiders shell as the cardinals meal was COM
pleted.
"As she flew away across the yard the re-
mains of the spiders web trailed after, and
ensnared in it were few twigs and leaves as
well as the bodies of the 10 insects which had
perisheo. Sincerely yours, H. M. B., jr.'
$50 pass the glories of this world away"
Man has been killing other living things for
centuries, and now, not satisfied, he is getting
ready to do bit of mass killing on himself!
Unless he comes to his senses, he will find
himself no better of, in the end than the
cruel garden spider, and the equally cruel
cardinal, and the buzzing yellow jackets
Somehow, in the foregoing tale the poor
yellow jackets are our heroes, if any heroes can
emerge from such stark tragedy
Let us turn to the contemplation of the yel-
low garden spider.
We had the pleasure of seeing cne of these
the other day. perched between the leaves of a
marlgold plant in pot
That pot and all it contained was the spiders
little world, which could be transported from
neignbor to neighbor, as was done.
The spider a. perfect match for the flowers,
did not mind in the least just as long as the
web was not touched.
The body was almost round, and made such
a match for the flower petals that newcomers,
looking at the group, were unable at first to
spot the spider.
When they saw it. finally. there was always
slight gasp of surprise.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.
Dear Sir:
Your interesting writings on birds and small
animals are most enjoyable. We moved UP
from Atlanta last November and have been
so happy to find many wildbrds here that 1
knew only through pictures in my native North
Georgia. Maybe just didn't look in the right
places there, or at the right time.
You must possess a wonderfully kind
nature, for you always look for the good traits
in even the lowliest insect. You make the
wild creatures of all kinds sound almost
human and feel sure they are more like us
than we suspect.