TARANTULA AND CALCUTTA ROACH IN DEATH DUEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 37, 12 February 1910, Page 17

TARANTULA AND CALCUTTA ROACH IN DEATH DUEL.

A BEMARKABDB CONTEST. "I have eecn many strange sights in my time," said Peter Gnyer, assistant manager of the Knickerbocker Hotel, New Tork; the other day, "but never have I witnessed s combat like the one I saw on oiir ship at Calcutta. This was a combat between two giant insects, one a tarantula; the other a Calcutta roach. Ever see a Calcutta roach.? Well, he looks just like a cockroach* Only he is as big as a mouse. This particular one was a pet of mine. I had bought him from a Malay for a ponnd of butttr, and for an Insect he was a remarkable creature. The roach would come to mc ro bo fed, and.-he Would crawl about on my hand with the ut most fearlessness. His favourite place of refuge was Inside the bottom of my coal sleeve. A favourite way of matching ordinary cockroaches in the Far Kast ie to sprinkle flour in a bowl, covering the bottom and, the Inner side, and leaving a depression In the middle. I used to do this frequently at night, and In the morning would find the bowl almost filled with Insects who had been caught In the flour as securely as In a fine wire case. FIGHT TO DEATH IN BOWI*. "One morning after rising I took a look at the bowl, and was spellbound by what 1 saw. The interior had bo~ome an arena. BeIOTV the rlin was a ring of cockroaches, struggling to get away from iin swful duel between a tarantula and my Calcutta roach In the bottom of the bowl. I stood watchIng that contest for almost two hours. The tactics they displayed seemed human. Each appeared to know the weak point of the other. "The spider stood nincn higher than the roach, and the latter seeniel to act mainly on tho defensive. Ills shell was a leal armour, and as he crouched low he seemed to be protecting himself with a shield. His vulnerable spot was In the middle of the back, and he laboured to keep this covered. The spider made his attacks in a series of sudden springs. The roach, when oil attack, aimed at the legs of the other. One after another the long thin extremities of the tarantula were lopped off. finally he was down to two legs, nnd Uls metiicd of attack became like that of a prizefighter, lunging furiously at his opponent when chance presented itself. TARANTULA THE WIXXER. "Most of the time the advantage seemed to be with the roach, but his Strength did not equal that of the other. However, after a long, fight, he got away with both of the tarantula's remaining underpinnings. For a moment it seemed that the roach had won

the duel, but the eplder, though, leglces, was still unconquered. He lay for a moment, Apparently gathering strength. Then doubling up his legleei body, Sβ enddenly launched, himself full at hie foe. The. roach, was apparently taken unawares. This time the tarantula fonnd the Achilles'* heei ot his adversary—that is to say, the email of tie back. The roach writhed Ift violent contortions. In a brief moment it was all over, and when I picked up.the tarantulif he, too, was quite dead."