THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 159 



this last date some were in the chrysalis, as of several specimens thus 

 obtained most of them entered that state in a short time, while those 

 taken in August remained until the following spring. 



Food was very scarce in this colony, as it was rare to see more than 

 four or five victims in the lions' dens at one time. On several occasions I 

 noticed a strong and active insect, having ventured over the edge of the 

 pit, run swiftly down and up the other side, leaving the ant-lion wildly 

 snapping its jaws, as the intended victim mounted the steep side of the 

 pitfall. 



The ant-lion does not, as far as my observation goes, throw up sand to 

 bring down its prey, but throws it up in every direction in order to keep 

 its jaws free to seize the insect when it reaches the bottom of the den. 



In 187 1 there was another colony (which I did not visit in 1872) near 

 the " Paint Mine." It consisted of some 300 members. I call it a 

 colony, although, of course, there was no friendly intercourse between the 

 inhabitants of the settlement. On the other hand, in the most crowded 

 portions, the chief employment of the insects was to throw out the dirt 

 which their active neighbors were depositing on their own premises. — E. 

 A. Birge, Williams College, in American Naturalist. 



Destruction of Dragon-flies by Birds. — Mr. Gould, in a com- 

 munication to the Entomological Society of London, says, " I believe 

 that the larger dragon-flies are very liable to the attacks of birds, and 

 have no doubt that the hobby and kestrel occasionally feed upon them ; 

 with regard to the small blue-bodied species (Agrionidse) frequenting the 

 sedgy bank of the Thames, I have seen smaller birds, sparrows, etc., 

 capture and eat them before my eyes, after having carefully nipped off the 

 wings, which are not swallowed. This must take place to a considerable 

 extent, as I have observed the tow-path strewn with the rejected wings." — 

 This has been observed by Mr. J. L. Hersey of New Hampshire (see the 

 following note) : — Eds. 



Bees and King-birds. — For the last ten years I have carefully noted 

 the habits and movements of the kingj-birds, and have come to the follow- 

 ing conclusion, viz. : that they do eat the honey bee, and so does the 

 purple martin ; but instead of being destroyed for it, they should be 

 protected and allowed to build their nests near the farm-house, because 

 they drive off the hawks, crows and other plundering birds from the 



