MYRMELEON. 
261 
It is of a predacious nature, flying chiefly by 
night, and pursuing the smaller insects in the 
manner of a LibelJuIa. It deposits its egg^ in 
dry sandy situations, and the young larvae, when 
hatched, begin separately to exercise their talent 
of preparing, by turning themselves rapidly round, 
a very small conical cavity in the sand. Under 
the centre of the cavity the little animal conceals 
itself, suddenly rushing forth at intervals in order 
to seize any small insect which by approaching 
the edge of the cavity has been so unfortunate as 
to fall in, and after sucking out its juices through 
its tubular forceps, throws it by a sudden exertion 
to some distance from the cavity. As the creature 
increases in size it enlarges the cavity, which at 
length becomes about two inches or more in di- 
ameter. 7'he larva when fidl-grown is more than 
half an inch long, and is of a flattened figure, broad 
towards the upper part, and gradually tapering to 
an obtuse point at the extremity. It is of a brown 
colour, and beset with numerous tufts of dusky 
hair, which are particularly conspicuous on each 
side the annuli of the abdomen : the legs are 
slender: the head and thorax rather small: the 
tubular jaws long, curved, serrated internally, and 
very sharp-pointed. The whole animal is of an 
unpleasing aspect, and on a cursory view bears 
a general resemblance to a flat-bodied spider. 
When magnified its appearance is highly uncouth. 
The ingenious Reaumur and Roesel have given 
accurate descriptions of this larva and its extra- 
