THE DRAMA OF LIFE 



15 



from its mouth a long jet of water and with accurate aim 

 secures a coveted insect which was sunning itself on the 

 plants overhanging the stream. The larva of the ant-lion 

 digs a funnel-hke pit in the sand and lurks at the foot to 

 seize small insects that roll down ; and the larval Cicindela 

 makes a vertical tube, ' in which he props himself like 

 a chimney sweep climbing up a chimney ', so that his 

 head forms a hd on the level of the ground. M. Henri 

 Coupin describes the procedure : 

 ' When a httle creature is about 

 to pass over this veritable hving 

 trap the larva sinks down, at 

 the same time dragging with 

 him his victim, which he hastens 

 to seize between his claws and 

 to devour '. Spiders' webs and 

 snares illustrate another method 

 which has often its detailed 

 subtleties. Thus M. Coupin 

 refers to Vinson's discovery of 

 the use of a strong silken string 

 bent in zigzag in the middle of the 



web of a Madagascar spider, which makes a construction 

 very much Uke that of the common Epeira diadema of our 

 gardens. The cable must be of use, for if it be removed it 

 is at once replaced by another, but what can its use be ? 

 The answer was forthcoming one day when Vinson saw a 

 large grasshopper jump into the web, and saw the spider 

 hastily seize the cable and wind it round the unusual 

 victim, who was too big to be held by the usual fine threads ! 

 There is such an embarrassing number of strange ways of 

 getting food that it is difficult to pick and choose, — some 



Fig. 5. — Garden Spider, 

 Epeira diadema, female. 



