FOOD OF INSECTS. 427 



or be eaten" may seem cruel or unnecessary, knowins^ 

 as we do that it is the ordinance of a beneficent Being, 

 who does all things well, and that in fact the sum of 

 happiness is greatly augmented by it. no man who does 

 not let a morbid sensibility get the better of his judge- 

 ment w ill, on account of their subjection to this rule, 

 look upon predaceous animals with abhorrence. 



One more instance of the stratagems of insects in 

 procuring their prey shall conclude this letter. Other 

 examples might be adduced, but the enumeration would 

 be tedious. This, from an order of insects widely dif- 

 fering from that which includes the race of spiders, is 

 perhaps more curious and interesting than any of those 

 hitherto recited. The insect to which I allude, an in- 

 habitant of the south of Europe, is the larva of a spe- 

 cies of ant-lion (Jlli/rme/coji, L.), so called from its sin- 

 gular manners in this state. It belongs to a genus be- 

 tween the dragon-fly and the Hemerobius. When 

 full grown its length is about half an inch : in shape it 

 has a slight resemblance to a wood-louse, but the out- 

 line of the body is more triangular, the anterior part 

 being considerably wider than the posterior : it has six 

 legs, and the mouth is furnished with a forceps consist- 

 ing of two incurved jaws, which give it a formidable 

 appearance "*. If we looked only at its external con- 

 formation and habits, we should be apt to conclude it 

 one of the most helpless animals in the creation. Its 

 sole food is the juices of other insects, particularly ants, 

 but at the tirst view it seems impossible that it sliould 

 ever secure a single meal. Not only is its pace slow, 

 '^ Plate XIX. Fig. 8. 



