So...

When a Cheetah hunts, it tries to avoid attention until it has stalked close enough

to chase, it chases, trips the target to maintain proximity, then seizes

it by the nose or throat to kill it. Only then can it be assimilated.

When a Leopard hunts, it may lie in wait in a tree until the target moves

of its own accord beneath the point of ambush, then it drops and

seizes the prey by the nose or throat to kill it.

When an Archer fish hunts, it sees its prey on a twig above the surface of

the water, approaches, squirts a jet of water at the prey,

knocking it off its perch and into the water, where

its wings and legs cannot take it to safety, and

then swallows it whole.

When a Scorpion hunts, it too is camouflages against its

background, but is more active in its search for prey, which it prevents from escaping not by tripping

or knocking it into water, but by paralysing its nervous system

with a lethal injection.

In each case, the predator hides in the background until the

prey is close enough for the gripping procedure to

start. Its weakness is that the prey has the

ability to fly, run, or swim away and

avoid assimilation. The predator

has less energy to expend in the chase

than the prey has for escape, and

this disadvantage has to be neutralised.

The prey can stake everything on

survival, but the predator has to be sure

it has the strength to chase again if

it misses, and anyway, it must not expend

more energy than the meal would provide.

Proximity neutralises this disadvantage.

In each case above, the predator

hides in the background, using its natural

camouflage to appear like part of the prey's

surroundings. Then when it is close enough

the Chase begins. This may be ended

by tripping, jumping on its back,

knocking it into the water, or

any means which renders the prey's

escape apparatus inoperative.

The prey is then gripped, and if too big

to devour whole, must first be killed or paralysed.

If the creature lacks the apparatus to physically segment its meal

so it's small enough to devour, then it may inject it with

liquidising hormones, wait, and then enjoy the meal

as a drink. It can't allow the prey to escape

beyond any of the Obstacles in its Realm

of Assimilation.

And then there are more devious means of hunting...

When Lions hunt, one may lie concealed while the others drive the prey

towards the waiting lion, who emerges from the savannah grass at the

last moment for the kill, again generally by strangulation

or suffocation.

When an Angler fish hunts, it lies immobile, its rough skin making

it look like surrounding rocks, and flutters a long appendage over its

head to look like food. The appendage is an Icon for a worm, a

desirable part of the prey's habitat. The prey's attention is

seized by the wriggling movement, and it draws

close to seize the 'prey', whereupon it is

seized by the angler fish's fangs, and

swallowed whole.

Now, we may think, the predator is advertising its presence,

not hiding it. But this is not really what is happening.

The real jaws of the Lion pride remain hidden until

it is too late - it is just the bodies of her

sisters the prey sees. In the case of the angler fish, the

same is true. The jaws remain hidden, and the

part advertised is just a deception. In one

case it is presented as a threat, in

the other, as food.

There are other intriguing examples - an orchid which

simulates the female of an insect, luring the male

 to alight, whereupon its weight triggers

 the upper part of the flower to

deposit two sticky dollops

of pollen on its back.

There are plants which advertise their presence through

an appealing odour, but when the prey alights and

seeks the nectar, it is on a slippery slope

of no return into the juices of the

plant's 'stomach'.

In all cases, though, we see the predator advertise. With the

Leopards and Cheetahs above, the lure is the

natural feeding areas of its prey, the

tender grasses or waterholes.

They have evolved to be

Iconic of their habitat...

they display the opposite of

Focus, and disappear

into the back-

ground.

These animals use a previously existing advertisement. The Lions

Angler Fish, Orchids and carnivorous plants, in addition

to hiding their hazards, also create their

own advertisements. Either way, there is an

advertisement which lures the prey into

the Realm of Assimilation, whether

as a meal or as a pollinator.

And just as for hunters, when adverts say - 'I am part

of the background', so for the prey. Moths may

evolve colouration to match the bark of

the trees on which they rest - become

Iconic of their habitat... Or

they may develop eye

spots which say

'I am an owl,

and I will

eat

YOU!'

This advertisement says to the prey or target - 'I am food, I am a

love object, I am some other treasure you want.' Or it says

'I will help you', or it says 'I will kill you'.  Or even, as

pets and teddy bears do,  'I am your baby'. This

Grips the prey no less securely than teeth

and claws. It Grips the prey like the

'hooks' on the outer case of a

virus Grip the 'loops' on

the outer surface of

its target cell.

We are catching the first glimpse of the Quest Hypothesis.

Here there are Treasures. Helpers. Heroes. Villains.

Tricksters. Each interpreted as such by a

pre-programmed structure within

the brain. These categories

are hard-wired. They

are what we use

to make sense

of this

World. They

tell us what to do.

They Grip us.

But first, let's look more at this concept of GRIP

in various other guises:

ART

CARTOONS

GARDENS

ADVERTISING

POLITICS

CLOTHING

NLP/NLC

WAR

Operate on both sides of the Portal - make sure that the existing side is unviable,

and the desired side is favourable.