ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, WITH EXAMPLES 



179 



exposed an individual by quickly pulling on a beetle larva it 

 had just captured, when, rather than sacrifice its prey, it 

 suffered itself to be drawn out of its lair. At other times I 

 have drawn them out by practising a little trick with a straw, 

 carefully imitating an insect sliding into the pit. If the ant- 

 lion is very hungry he will seize the end between his jaws and 

 in this way he can be drawn out. 



One not familiar with the appearance of the ant-lion might 

 imagine from the scientific name that it has some allusion to 

 the beast of prey. He certainly does not share the slightest 

 resemblance, but possesses unique characters quite his own. 



An Ant-lion and its cocoon. 



as the drawing illustrations show. Its body in the larva state, 

 such as is found in the pits, is admirably adapted for digging 

 in the sand. It is depressed, somewhat stout, and presents a 

 formidable looking head, bearing long, flattened forceps or 

 jaws with three teeth on each side, in the species figured here. 

 The jaws are also provided with bristles, which act as a brush. 

 The legs are slender, and a remarkable hinge exists between the 

 first and second thoracic joints. The latter mechanism is 

 used in jerking the sand out of the pits. Appreciation of this 

 fact may be gained by taking a recently killed ant-lion between 

 the finger and thumb and slightly compressing the abdomen, 

 when the muscular action, such as is witnessed in life when 

 throwing the sand out of the pit, will be repeated. 



When the ant-lion is dug out of its pit, it may easily escape 



