The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1905-02-04

Of the water and, closing its jaws,
shoots upon the insect long thread
of water-a veritable shower bath
which, falling. back, washes the poor
creature into the river, where he has
not long to wait to be devoured. The
remarkable part Of this performance
is the accuracy of the fish's aim,
which rarely misses. In Java and
the neighboring countries people
often carefully preserve the toxote in
aquariums and amuse themselves by
offering it flies, holding them some
distance off so that it will shoot at
them with it's douche, to the great de-
light of the spectators.
To obtain food another fish, the
chelinous, proceeds in the same way
with salt water, but he is less adroit,
a fault which he possesses in common
with many hunters. Yet he is always
persevering. If he misses his aim he
tries again until he succeeds, unless
the insect has withdrawn out of reach.
Lying in wait for prey is practiced
with great skill by a large number of
animals who have learned that in Or
der not to frighten away the crea-
lures which they wish to catch it is
necessary to remain motionless. This
is notably the case with crocodiles,
which wait whole days without NOV
ing, hidden in the water or the grass
on the shore, until their prey, deceived
by their apparent quiet, comes to
oathe or to Stake his thirst.
It is also the case with the python
snake that waits hanging from the
trees by. his tail so immovable that
he cannot be distinguished from the
surrounding branches. When an ami
NAL is about to pass he lets himself
fall upon it.
Various leeches in Africa proceed in
the same manner. In passing through
virginia. forests only too frequently
one hears a sudden noise like hail fall
ing on the branches. 1t is not failing
hail, but leeches which hasten to at
tach themselves to beasts of burden
and to men, from whom they hasten
to suck the blood. They were watch
ing their chance, perched on the
branches-an odd dwelling place, by
the way-for creatures that are gener-
ally considered aquatic. - =
The -baudrofe prefers to catch by
decoy. This large fish buries itself in
the mud and lets only a sort of small
flag appear, which is fastened to his
nose by the medium of a long filament
which floats as the water moves it.
The little fishes in his neighborhood
hurry toward this flag, thinking they
have to do with an easy prey. When
they are gathered in goodly number,
disputing over the sweet morsel; the
baudroie opens his huge mouth and
swallows them without further cere-
mony. II - --s ,.
: Other animals are more refined and,
in the hunt by decoy, prefer to use
traps. It might be supposed that this
method Of hunting, which demands a
certain Intelligence, would be prac-
Il by creatures Of high organize
ton. This is not so, since the humble
insects employ it. The larvae Of the
ant lion digs on the surface Of the
sand a large funnel, at the bottom Of
which he crouches; every insect
which tries to pass rolls down into the
funnel and reaches the bottom, where.
at once It is snatched up by the larya.
This is pit hunting. Moreover, il the
victim seems likely to escape, he
- f,S~ ~ II
which makes him fall still more quick
".
3 There exists In Madagascar spider
which, for q long time, puzzled the
naturalists. It is noticeable that at
the center Of its web there Is . great