Spiders

Spiders seem perceptive and intelligent.  When I speak to them, they stop whatever they are doing and appear to be paying attention to me. Last night one had a leg drawn up at the "knee" ready to take a step, and stood stock still while I asked him to go somewhere else nice and quiet because he was so big and brown and I didn't want him on my table amongst my papers.   I'm not so far gone as to think they understand words, but they do seem to catch the gist of what's going on. He got himself onto the floor and busily legged it under the dishwasher, very good choice since it is not working, nor will it ever.