160 THE UNIVERSE. 



its victims might suggest to the imprudent travellers to- 

 wards the fatal den. In some observations which I made 

 on the ant-lions I saw them in this way throw flies and 

 large ants three inches from their dwellings. 



Other hunters, less ingenious, but more brave, proceed 

 exactly like birds of prey. They are the Rcqrtores of the 

 insect world, w T hich in their agile and powerful flight swoop 

 down like the falcon, and seize their prey in mid-air. To 

 these belong the beautiful insects, with transparent irides- 

 cent wings, which fly near our pools, and which are com- 

 monly known as dragon-flies. 



Although Minerva in her jealousy broke the loom of 

 Arachne, still the obscure rival of the goddess, even though 

 reduced to her own unaided powers, executes wonderful 

 tasks. Some spiders are remarkable for the perfection of 

 their weaving ; in others the arrangement reveals the most 

 astute intelligence. In the former category may be placed 

 the regularly circular nets which the spiders of our gardens 

 stretch from branch to branch , in the other, the webs of 

 the species which invade our dwellings. 



These latter, usually built in the corners of the walls, 

 exhibit a horizontal net soiled with dust, which is in a sense 

 only the basement floor of the carnivorous insect's struct- 

 ure, for it is in the threads irregularly crossed above this 

 that the prey gets entangled and lost. But the most in- 

 genious part of this destructive engine is the lair in which 

 the hunter lies concealed. It is in the form of a circular 

 tunnel, with a double outlet, and serving a double purpose ; 

 one outlet is horizontal and opens upon the web ; the other 

 is vertical and gives passage below. It is from the former 



