Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1889 — Fooling a Spider. [ARTICLE]

Fooling a Spider.

A gentleman was watching some spiders, when it occurred to him to try what effect the sound of a tuning fork would have upon them. He suspected that they Avould take it for the buzzing of a fly. He selected a large, ugly spider that had been feasting on flies for two months. The spider was at one edge of its web. Hounding the fork, the man touched a thread at the other side and watched the result. Mr. Spider had the buzzing sound conveyed to him over his telephone wires, but how was he to know on which particular wire it was traveling? He ran to the center of the web very quickly and felt all around until he touched the thread against the other end of which the fork was sounding; then, taking another thread along, just as a man would take an extra piece of rope, he ran out to the fork and sprang upon it. Then he retreated a little way and looked at the fork. He was puzzled. He had expected to find a buzzing fly. He got on the fork again and danced with delight. Evidently the sound was music to him. —Toronto Gldbe.