ANT LIONS. 87 



The jaws of the larva are modified to form two 

 Slicking tubes in the form of two large jaws, each 

 consisting of a broad upper piece and of a lower 

 narrow blade which slides along the upper part, 

 and forms a tube. 



The pupa is elongate and is folded round in a 

 beautiful little marble-shaped cocoon of sand grains 

 cemented together by a secretion from the larva. 

 (Plate 13, Fig. 4). 



The pit formers recorded by Dr. R. J. Tillyard 

 are: Myrmelcon uniseriatits, M. pictifrons, CalUsto- 

 leon illiistris, C. crytliroccphalum. 



Life Story of the Ant Lion. 



{Myrmelcon uuiseriatus.) 



The larva, which is predaceous, makes a pit in the 

 sand. We obtained many of these larvae along- 

 sandy paths or bush tracks, and in shallow, sandy 

 patches on rocky outcrops. 



The larva is rather an unattractive creature, sand 

 coloured, with a pair of large protruding jaws. The 

 body is somewhat thick, tapering to the tail, and 

 clothed with hairs scattered over the body. Several 

 larvae were obtained in November. We put them 

 into a bowl containing sand. No. i made a circle 

 and went round and round, moving backwards and 

 forwards until it gradually came to the centre, and 

 then it disappeared in the sand. After waiting for a 

 few minutes we were rewarded by seeing particles 

 of sand being thrown up. This it did by sharp jerks 

 upwards and sideways with its spade-like head. 

 It worked just beneath the surface of the sand, its 



