384 Insect Architecture. 



not to be within a competent leap, then would this insect 

 move so softly, as the very shadow of the gnomon seemed 

 not to be more imperceptible, unless the fly moved ; and 

 then would the spider move also in the same proportion, 

 keeping that just time with her motion, as if the same 

 soul had animated both these little bodies ; and whether 

 it were forwards, backwards, or to either side, without at all 

 turning her body like a well-managed horse : but if the 

 capricious fly took wing and pitched upon another place 

 behind our huntress, then would the spider whirl its body 

 so nimbly about, as nothing could be imagined more 

 swift : by which means she always kept the head towards 

 her prey, though, to appearance, as immovable as if it had 

 been a nail driven into the wood,. till by that indiscernible 

 progress (being arrived within the sphere of her reach) 

 she made a fatal leap, swift as lightning, upon the fly, 

 catching him in the pole, where she never quitted hold till 

 her belly was full, and then carried the remainder home." 



One feels a little sceptical, however, when he adds, 

 "I have beheld them instructing their young ones how 

 to hunt, which they would sometimes discipline for not 

 well observing ;* but when any of the old ones did (as 

 sometimes) miss a leap, they would run out of the field 

 and hide themselves in their crannies, as ashamed, and 

 haply not to be seen abroad for four or five hours after ; 

 for so long have I watched the nature of this strange 

 insect, the contemplation of whose so wonderful sagacity 

 and address has amazed me ; nor do I find in any chase 

 whatsoever more cunning and stratagem observed. I 

 have found some of these spiders in my garden, when 

 the weather, towards spring, is very hot, but they are 

 nothing so eager in hunting as in Italy."* 



We have only to add to this lively narrative, that the 

 hunting-spider, when he leaps, takes good care to provide 

 against accidental falls by always swinging himself from 

 a good strong cable of silk, as Swammerdam correctly 

 states,! and which anybody may verify, as one of the 

 * Evelyn's Travels in Italy. f Book of Nature, part i. p. 24. 



