430 FOOD OP INSECTS. 



In the course of its labours it frequently meets with 

 small stones : these it places upon its head one by one, 

 and jerks over the margin of the pit. But sometimes, 

 when near the bottom, a pebble presents itself of a size 

 so large that this process is impossible, its head not 

 being- sufficiently broad and strong to bear so great a 

 weight, and the height being too considerable to admit 

 of projecting so large a body to the top. A more im- 

 patient labourer would despair, but not so our insect. 

 A new plan is adopted. By a manoeuvre, not easily 

 described, it lifts the stone upon its back, keeps it in a 

 steady position by an alternate motion of the segments 

 which compose that part; and carefully walking up the 

 ascent with the burthen, deposits it on the outside oi' 

 the margin. When, as occasionally happens, the stone 

 is round, the labour becomes most diflicult and painful. 

 A spectator w atching the motions of the ant-lion feels 

 an inexpressible interest in its behalf. He sees it with 

 vast exertion elevate the stone, and begin its arduous 

 retrograde ascent: at every moment the burthen tot- 

 ters to one side or the other : the adroit porter lifts up 

 the segments of its back to balance it, and has already 

 nearly reached the top of the pit, Avhen a stuml)Ie or a 

 jolt mocks all its efforts, and the stone tumbles head- 

 long to the Ijottom. Mortified, but not despairing, the 

 ant-lion returns to the cluirge ; again replaces the stone 

 on its back; again ascends the side, and artfully avail? 

 himself, for a road, of the channel formed by the fall- 

 ing stone, against the sides of which he can support his 

 load. This time possibly he succeeds ; or it may be, as 

 is often the case, the stone again rolls down. When 

 thus unfortunate, our little Sisyphus has been seen six 



