OCR Text |
Show Mounter Spiders. Far up in the mountains of Ceylon and India there is a spider that spins a web liko bright yellowish Bilk, the central cen-tral net of which is live feet In diameter, while the supporting lines, or guys as they aro called, measure somotimes ten or twelvo feet long; and riding quickly in tho early morning you may dash right iiUo it, tho stout thfeads twining round your face liko a lace veil, whilo as tho creature who has woven it takes up his position in the middle, bo generally catches you right on tho nose, and though ho seldom bites or stings, the contact of his large body and long logs k anything but pleasant. If you forget yourself and try to catch him, bite ho will, and, though not venomous, his jaws aro as powerful as a bird's beak, and you aro not likely to forget tho on-counter. on-counter. Tho bodies of these spiders are very handsomely decorated, being bright gold or scarlet underneath, whilo the upper part is covered with tho most delicate biaiU culuieil fui. OJ oliu.io uo tl.o ivolw that birds the size of larks arc frequently caught therein, and even tho email but powerful scaly lizard falls a victim. A writer says that ho has often sat and watched tho yellow and scarlet monster, measuring, when waiting for bis prey with his legs stretched out, fully six Inches, striding across the middle of the net, and noted the rapid manner in which ho winds bis stout threads around the unfortunate captive. Ho usually throws tho coils about the head till tho wretched victim is first bliuded and then choked. Iu many unfrequented dark nooks of the junglo you come across most perfect skeletons of small birds caught in theso terrible snares, the strong folds of which prevent the delicate bones from falling to tho ground after the wind and weather have dispersed the flesh and feathers. Kara Bits. |