64 MY STUDIO NEIGHBORS 



or six inches, as though thrown from a tiny round 

 flat shovel, which suddenly flashed from the open- 

 ing, and as quickly retired to its depths, though 

 not without a momentary display of two curved 

 prongs and a formidable show of spider-like legs. 



After a short lapse of time the act was re- 

 peated, this time a tiny stone being brought to 

 the surface, and, after a brief pause at the door- 

 way, was jerked to a distance as from a catapult. 

 I now concluded to try the power of this pro- 

 pelling force, and taking a small stone, about 

 three-quarters of an inch in length and a quarter- 

 inch in thickness, laid it over the mouth of the 

 tunnel. A few minutes passed, when I noticed a 

 slight motion in the stone, immediately followed 

 by a forcible ejectment, which threw it nearly an 

 inch, the propelling instrument retiring so quickly 

 into the burrow beneath as to scarce afford a 

 glimpse. The stone appeared almost to have 

 jumped voluntarily. 



For an hour or more the bombardment of pel- 

 lets and small stones continued from the mouth 

 of the pit, until a small pile of the spent ammuni- 

 tion had accumulated at several inches distance, 

 and at length the hole entirely disappeared, the 

 earth in its vicinity presenting an apparently 

 level surface— an armed peace, in truth, with the 



