ii8 



Marvels of the Universe 



[Hy J. TMciibiirg. 

 SPIDER MIMICRY'. 



The Indian Jumping-spider on the left mimics the Leaf-cutting Ant on the 

 right. The jaws of the Spider represent the head of the Ant and t\vo black 

 spots look like eyes. 



THE FATA .MORCiAXA 



The Italian title which appears at 

 the head of this paragraph has 

 always been held to be a synonym 

 for those somewhat familiar 

 appearances over marshy and 

 malarious places which are known 

 among us as " Will-o'-the-Wisp." 

 " Jacky-my-lantern." etc. And 

 as all investigation of their 

 character and origin has confirmed 

 us in our belief that thev are 

 simply agglomerations of luminous 

 gases hovering over the places of 

 their production, the romantic and 

 superstitious suggestion contained 

 in the Italian name has gradualh- 

 faded. Few. indeed, are the 

 country-folk in our midst to-day 

 who would believe that the weird 

 glow hovering over a dangerous swamp was intentionally being exhibited by a frivolous fiend 

 bent upon luring them to destruction. 



But in other parts of the world, notably Southern Europe, many of the old superstitions still 

 hold undisputed sw'ay over the minds of the people, who apparently cherish them as if they bore 

 nothing but comfort and solace with them instead of being full of terror and distress. Fishermen 

 and coasting seamen generally are among the most prone to quaint, disturbing beliefs of this kind, 

 and the appearance, during a highlv electrical condition of the atmosphere, of the phenomenon 



known as St. Elmo's fires (dealt 

 with in an earlier page) is sufficient 

 to terrify them greatly. 



But in addition to these weU- 

 known phenomena, there may be 

 observed off the coasts of Southern 

 Italj' and Sicily in the proximity 

 of marshy lands mysterious-looking 

 lights wandering over the sea near 

 the shore, having no reference to 

 human agency, and acting entirely 

 differently from the better-known 

 but no less feared St. Elmo's lights. 

 It must be admitted that among 

 ignorant folk such appearances are 

 sufficiently disturbing to warrant 

 any trouble of mind, especiall}^ as 

 the people are not in the least 

 likely to hear any rational expla- 

 nation of the sight, or, it must be 

 confessed, to entertain it if they did. 



iUy J. Teklenhiini. 

 SPIDER MIMICRY. 



Another Indian Spider ' left t that mimics the same Ant 'right ). but only 

 when it is going the other way. Note the spots at the rear of the Spider which 

 look like eyes and produce this likeness. 



