A DWELLER IN TENTS 121 



standing my admiring glances he was not at all pleased 

 to make my acquaintance and evinced his displeasure 

 by twisting and wriggling most spitefully. He hurried 

 this way and that, never taking the trouble to turn 

 around, for he was quite as adept in "backing" as he 

 was in going forward. 



Finally he buried his head under a corner of the 

 leaf and remained motionless. Evidently the beautiful 

 philosophy of the ostrich was his also. 

 However, he was soon made aware of the 

 fallacy of this reasoning, for I proceeded to 

 examine him in detail through my lens. I 

 noted the shining tubercles, six on each 

 segment, as seen from above, four in front 

 and two behind, each one adorned with a 

 bristle. I noted the alertness of the highly ^"^- ^^- '^'^'® 



° •' Tent-dweller. 



polished black head and the thoracic shield 

 shining like ebony. I was interested to find that his 

 six true feet were apparently encased in patent 

 leathers, after the most approved and latest fashion in 

 gentlemen's boots. 



I found him so interesting that I rolled him up in 

 his leaf and took him home and placed him in a 

 box, intending to sketch him very soon. Alas, must 

 I confess it ? That very day I began a new and 

 absorbing piece of work that crowded out all thoughts 



