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 



