Hidebehinds are nocturnal creatures from American folklore that prey upon humans that wander into the woods and was credited for the disappearances of early colonial loggers when they failed to return to camp. As its name suggests, the hidebehind is noted for its ability to conceal itself. When an observer attempts to look directly at it, the creature hides again behind an object or the observer and therefore can't be directly seen: a feat it accomplishes by sucking in its stomach to a point where it is so slender that it can easily cover itself behind the trunk of any tree. Early accounts describe hidebehinds as large, powerful animals, despite the fact that no one was able to see them.