CHAPTER XIII.

THE ANT-LION.

Forms a Funnel-shaped Excavation in the Sand-Uses its Leg like a Shovel to remove the Sand-Secures its Prey by Stratagem-Its Ingenuity and Perseverance in getting rid of impediments-Spins a Cocoon, and is transformed into a beautiful Fly.-The Lion-Worm.

Or all the creatures which secure their prey by stratagem, there is perhaps none more singular in its manners and habits than the ant-lion (Formica-leo). It is an inhabitant of the south of Europe. When full grown, its length is about half an inch: and in form it in some degree resembles a wood-louse; it has six legs, and the mouth is furnished with a forceps, consisting of two jaws curving inwardly, which give it a

very formidable appearance. But looking at its form alone, a person imperfectly acquainted with its habits and economy would be apt to set it down as the most

Its food consists

helpless of all created animals. solely of the juices of other insects, particularly ants; but at first view it appears impossible that it should ever secure a single meal; for its powers of locomo〜 tion are so feeble, that it can walk only at a very slow pace, and that backwards; he never follows his prey, and would sooner perish with hunger than advance one step towards it. Thus accomplished for the pursuit, it stands but a poor chance of being able to hunt down an active ant; nor would his prospects be mended by standing still; its grim and forbidding aspect is such as to deter every vagrant insect from venturing within its reach. In the choice of its food the insect shows itself a finished epicure; however pressed by the calls of appetite, it will taste no carcase except what it has itself killed: and of this it only extracts the finer juices. Thus delicate in its appetite, and thus apparently incapable of securing a supply of food, what is to become of the poor antlion? How does an insect, thus to all appearance unfitted by its natural habits to provide a supply even of the coarsest food, contrive to secure a succession of delicacies? It accomplishes, by the refinement of art and stratagem, what would utterly baffle all its open exertions-it excavates a conical pit; and, concealing itself at the bottom, calmly lies in wait for any unlucky insect which may chance to stumble over the margin and fall into its den.

For the purpose of excavating this trap, it seeks a spot of loose and dry sand, under the shelter of an old wall, or at the foot of a tree. Two circumstances incline it to select a spot of this description; in such a soil its snare is constructed with the least possible

trouble; and the prey most agreeable to its appetite particularly abounds in such places. Having fixed upon a spot proper for its purpose, it traces in the sand a circular furrow which is to determine the extent of its future abode. The outline of the hollow which it intends to excavate, being drawn, it proceeds with its task. Placing itself on the inside of the circular furrow previously traced, it thrusts the hind part of its body, like a ploughshare, under the sand; and using one of its fore-legs as a shovel, it deposits a load of sand upon its head, which is flat and square : it then gives its head a jerk, sufficiently strong to toss this load to a distance of several inches beyond the outward circle. All this is executed with a wonderful degree of celerity and address. Always going backwards, the same process is repeated, until it reaches that part of the circle where it commenced its operations. Another furrow is then excavated inside of the first circle; this is succeeded by others, until at last the insect arrives at the centre of its intended hollow. One peculiarity deserves to be pointed out ;-the insect neither uses its outward leg nor disturbs the sand lying on the outside of the circle; using the inner leg only, it loads its head with sand taken from the inside of the circle. It seems to be well aware, that the sand within the circle is all that requires to be removed, and also that this can be effected only by using the inside leg. If both the legs were used at the same time, the excavation would assume the shape of a cylinder, and not that of a cone; which is the only form that can suit the purpose of the insect. It must, however, be obvious, that if, through

out the whole of this laborious process, one leg continued to be exclusively used, the limb would get tired. To obviate this inconvenience, nature has taught the little pioneer to adopt an apt expedient: one furrow having been completely excavated, another is traced in an opposite direction; this brings into play the leg which had been previously at rest. It frequently happens that small stones impede the progress of its labours; these are all, one by one, placed upon its head, and jerked beyond the outer margin of the excavation. But when arrived near the bottom, it sometimes encounters a pebble too large to be removed even by this process, its head not having sufficient breadth and strength to bear so bulky and so heavy a substance: while the hole is too deep to admit of its being projected over the margin. In this dilemma the little engineer is not destitute of resources. A new mode of proceeding is adopted, suitable to the difficulty which the insect has to overcome. By a series of the most ingenious movements, it contrives to lift the pebble upon its back, where it is kept in a steady position by means of the segments which compose that part. Having thus secured the pebble from the chance of falling, the indefatigable labourer resolutely walks, tail forwards, up the slope of the excavation, and deposits its burthen on the outside. When the stone to be removed happens to be round, the insect's task becomes more arduous and difficult: in this emergency, the proceedings of the little antlion cannot fail to excite the deepest sympathy. With incredible exertion it lifts the pebble on its back; it then commences its retrograde ascent up

the slope of the den: but at every step of its progress, the load may be seen to totter to one side or the other; but the expert porter elevates the segments of its back in order to restore the balance. It sometimes occurs, that, when it has very nearly reached the top of the excavation, a false step causes it to stumble: in this unlucky case, all its efforts are frustrated, and the stone rolls headlong to the bottom. Mortified, but not despairing, the unwearied ant-lion returns to the charge; again places the stone on its back, and again ascends the sloping side, artfully availing itself of the channel which had been formed by the rolling stone-the sides of this channel frequently serving to support the load. Throughout the whole progress of the work, the insect shows itself a most expert engineer. It describes a perfect circle, and traces out a volute, without the assistance of a pair of compasses; and gives the slope of earth which it hollows all the solidity of which it is susceptible.

Desirous to witness the ingenuity and try the perseverance of one of these creatures, M. Bonnet threw a good-sized pebble into the den; its removal seemed to be quite essential, for the ant-lion left its work to effect it. To toss it out was beyond its power; it therefore determined to carry it up the declivity. For this purpose it insinuated its tail under the offending impediment, and by moving the rings of its body, hoisted it gradually on its back; thus loaded, it set off with its burthen, walking backwards up the sloping side of the hole. Of course every step made the stone shake and overbalance; but it was righted in a trice by a due adjustment of the body of the insect, or a proper movement of the rings which com