File:Samoa 'uma, where life is different (1902) (14780195481).jpg

Identifier: samoaumawherelif00chur (find matches)
Title: Samoa 'uma, where life is different
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Churchill, Llewella Pierce, Mrs. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Forest and Stream publishing company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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hrubs offrangipanni. The eye might have noted the place ofcoming to rest, but as soon as the flight was endedthe insect seemed to vanish, for the most careful searchwas unable to disclose anything but dead twigs. Itwas one of the stick insects and a fine example of pro-tective mimicry. An even better example was theless rarely seen leaf insect. I have been able to seebut few of these at rest. It has happened that I havewatched them in flight and have waited eagerly tonote the place in which they would land in order to geta better view of the mimicry. At distances of fromfifteen to twenty feet the insects have taken alarm, theleaflike wings have ceased to beat and have remainedoutstretched. Stopping in its flight, the insect hasslowly fluttered to the ground, and it has been im-possible to recognize it in the grass, so deceptive wasits resemblance to the tender twigs of the ylang-ylang. In the chronic revolutions of Samoan politics Iknew a man who had no hesitation in going unarmed 172
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THINGS THAT CREEP AND CRAWL. among the troops of the Samoan rebels, and theMalietoa forces who were just as bad. He was able tosend budding rebellion back home again, and neverseemed to think that he had been in any personaldanger. But he shuddered at the Samoan spiders, al-though they are all as innocent as so many guineapigs. One spider that ran ove^ the houses at alltimes and everywhere was as good as a circus. Itwas a light-colored beast, about a quarter of an inchlong. It built no nest or web, but was a hunter pureand simple. Its mode of capture was to stalk theflies when they came to rest on the walls. It wouldbegin its hunting on a fly a yard or more away, andwould slowly creep up on its victim with a nervousquiver that showed plainly the delight which the ani-mal took in its game. At the distance of rather lessthan a foot the spider would collect itself for the finalrush and remain all in a tremble of excitement. Whenthe fly turned its head away the spider would leapthrough th

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