The Pompili 



inhabited funnel. The Spider on the look- 

 out at once shows herself on the threshold 

 of her dwelling, half out of her tube, ready 

 for defence and perhaps also for attack. 

 The Pompilus moves away and the Segestria 

 reenters her tube. A fresh alarm: the Pom- 

 pilus returns; another threatening demon- 

 stration on the part of the Spider. Her 

 neighbour, a httle later, does better than 

 this: while the huntress is prowling about 

 in the neighbourhood of the funnel, she sud- 

 denly leaps out of the tube, with the life- 

 line which will save her from falling, should 

 she miss her footing, attached to her spin- 

 nerets; she rushes forward and hurls herself 

 in front of the Pompilus, at a distance of 

 some eight inches from her burrow. The 

 Wasp, as though terrified, immediately de- 

 camps; and the Segestria no less suddenly 

 retreats indoors. 



Here, we must admit, is a strange quarry: 

 it does not hide, but is eager to show itself; 

 it does not run away, but flings itself in front 

 of the hunter. If our observations were to 

 cease here, could we say which of the two is 

 the hunter and which the hunted? Should we 

 not feel sorry for the imprudent Pompilus? 

 Let a thread of the trap entangle her leg; 

 and it is all up with her. The other will 

 17 



