Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 16.djvu/809

 victim by means of the suckers, thus serving a purpose similar to a harpoon or lasso. As the victim is drawn nearer, the shorter arms wrap around it and effectually prevent its struggles. Now comes in play another instrument, its powerful, horny jaws, which form a beak shaped like a parrot's inverted. With this terrible weapon it bites its victim in the back of the neck, thus cutting the spinal cord and producing immediate death.



How different is the method employed by the Laodicea! This worm inverts or protrudes its gullet as a sort of proboscis, provided at the end with little teeth for grasping. Like the star-fish, to seize its food, it turns itself inside out.

Biting insects and most articulates have horny jaws moving horizontally. Poison fangs are sometimes added, as in the centiped. The claws of the crab and lobster are transformed legs; one frequently used as an anchor, while the other holds the prey.

Every one is familiar with the skillful trap which the spider sets for his victims. This wily creature sometimes builds a concealed lair whence it can spring upon its prey. Others, that spin no web, have a curious fashion of fastening a thread to whatever object they stand on at the instant they pounce on their prey, in order that the victim,



which is frequently larger than the spider, may not fly away with its captor. It does fly to the extent of the thread, but the poison soon takes effect, and the cruel spider deliberately winds up its anchor cable and recovers its footing.