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The Tarantula

The Tarantula image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
October
Year
1881
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A few days ago a young friend of ours, who left tliis city a couple of years ago to seck his fortune in tlie wilds of Arizona, wrote to liis aunt that ho had sent her a box containing a species of tarántula, a specimen of whicli lie liad been trying to procure for a long time, The bite of the torantula is very poisenous, but he gave vcry minute directions how to manage the iniinal, stating tliat it was now in a torpid state and that be had found it In a potato bin. The directions for opening' the box were very minute. They were to prepare a China píate the surface being smooth so that it could not crawl, then carefully open the box bottom side upwards, gtrlng it no chance to escape, If they wished to preserve it they were to keep it in alcohol, but to enliven it they need only to place It near the fire. A friend of hls, he wrote, had two line specimens that were very beautiful especially under gas light. The box would arrlve in a few days. In tlie meanwhile, his sister hearing about the expocted prize, wrote to hlm to send her Onejugt like it. Finally the packagecame - a tin box with holes in the cover to furnish the anima] with air, labeled "handle with care" etc. The laules lnvited in their friends to see it opened, but now they were in a qtiamlary as to who should open the box. The hulies declarcd that they would not. There ia a very ilistinuiwhed zoologist living a cDiijilt! of miles out , of town who was Rent for to perforni the operation. He carne and brought his microscope and pincers, and various other instruments. By that time quite a group of prominent ladies and gentlemen were gathered to see the curiosity. A large fernery wás prepared for its reception. The ladies arranged themselvcs in inch positions as ladics are accuBtomed to assume on such occasions, while the Dr. Ml cvunining one of ils claws with the microscope. Tlicn he ftently ratwd tlie lid, looked up and smilcd, saying ladies it is - I should think t was a - potato. The solemnlty of tl)e occasion was somewhat disturbud for the Hmftbelng, At the end ut' ten minutes the boys were found douliled up under tliy table. They all avowaU eternal secrecj' but it was too good to keep, Th' (He , of Kr. expset a real tarántula goon. j i

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News