The Life of the Grasshopper 



central patch. They are pretty Spiders, 

 both of them, and they walk sideways, after 

 the manner of Crabs. They do not know 

 how to weave a hunting-net; the little silk 

 which they possess is reserved exclusively for 

 the downy satchel containing the eggs. Their 

 plan of campaign therefore is to lie in am- 

 bush on the flowers and to fling themselves 

 unexpectedly on the quarry when it arrives 

 on pilfering intent. 



Their favourite prey is the Hive-bee. I 

 often come upon them with their prize, at 

 times grabbed by the neck and at others by 

 any part of the body, even the tip of a wing. 

 In each and every case the Bee is dead, with 

 her legs hanging limply and her tongue out. 



The poison-fangs planted in the neck set 

 me thinking; I see in them a characteristic 

 remarkably like the practice of the Mantis 

 when starting on her Locust. And then 

 arises another question: how does the weak 

 Spider, who is vulnerable in every part of 

 her soft body, manage to get hold of a prey 

 like the Bee, stronger than herself, quicker in 

 movement and armed with a sting that can 

 inflict a mortal wound? 



The difference in physical strength and 

 force of arms between assailant and assailed 

 130 



