leaf. Now began a series of wonderful manoeuvres on the spider's
part, with the object of circumventing the imaginary fly, which
seemed specially designed to meet this special case; for
certainly no insect had ever before behaved in quite so erratic a
manner. Each time the shadow flew past, the spider ran swiftly
in the same direction, hiding itself under the leaves, always
trying to get near without alarming its prey; and then the shadow
would go round and round in a small circle, and some new
strategic move on the part of the hunter would be called forth.
I became deeply interested in this curious scene; I began to wish
that the shadow would remain quiet for a moment or two, so as to
give the hunter a chance. And at last I had my wish: the shadow
was almost motionless, and the spider moving towards it, yet
seeming not to move, and as it crept closer I fancied that I
could almost see the little striped body quivering with
excitement. Then came the final scene: swift and straight as an
arrow the hunter shot himself on to the fly-like shadow, then
wiggled round and round, evidently trying to take hold of his
prey with fangs and claws; and finding nothing under him, he
raised the fore part of his body vertically, as if to stare about
him in search of the delusive fly; but the action may have simply
expressed astonishment. At this moment I was just on the point
of giving free and loud vent to the laughter which I had been
holding in when, just behind me, as if from some person who had
been watching the scene over my shoulder and was as much amused
as myself at its termination, sounded a clear trill of merry
laughter. I started up and looked hastily around, but no living
creature was there. The mass of loose foliage I stared into was
agitated, as if from a body having just pushed through it. In a
moment the leaves and fronds were motionless again; still, I