BEHAVIOR OF THE ANT-LION. 



28l 



the way around the circle. Then, turning, it backs through the 

 furrow thus made until it has inserted the tip of its abdomen 

 under the impediment. It then backs slowly up the slope with 

 the burden poised upon the tip of its abdomen. The edges of 

 the abdominal somites and the stiff bristles thereon prevent the 

 stone from slipping forward; while the dirt on each side prevents 

 it from falling sidewise. Throughout this entire upward journey 

 the whole body of the ant-lion is above the ground. It is an 

 astonishing sight to see the insect backing, in almost a straight 



Fig.l 1 



Larval ant-lion. Dorsal view. 



Larval ant-lion. Ventral view. 



line, up the steep slope, with the burden poised on its back. 

 When the burden has been disposed of, usually at the edge of 

 the pit, the ant-lion turns about and returns to the bottom of the 

 pit, usually in the furrow made by the upward struggle, and con- 

 tinues her digging. The furrows made before my eyes have always 

 been straight or nearly so; but, one made in my absence was 

 quite curved. When the object was placed in the bottom of a 

 finished pit, sometimes the object was allowed to remain; but, 

 in most cases, sooner or later, it would be removed, in the follow- 



