AN ANT ENTRAPPED. 105 



of endurance of hunger, for it may wait for days 

 sometimes without catching any prey. Frequently, 

 when this is the case, it marches out of its trap, 

 and tries its fortune in some more favourable spot. 

 But see ! an ant who has been out foraging for 

 the young ants at home is hastening back laden 

 with sweet treasures, when suddenly she finds her 

 path arrested by what appears to her to be a deep 

 but smooth precipice. To plunge down and rise 

 on the opposite side is a shorter cut, in her estima- 

 tion, than to go round ; or perhaps she is led by 

 curiosity to wish to explore this singular cavity, 

 and she plants her feet on its treacherous edge, 

 causing a few grains of sand to roll down and give 

 notice to the wary giant below that a victim is at 

 hand. A step back, and her life would be saved ; 

 but no, she leaves the bank, trusts herself to the 

 unfaithful soil of the sides of the precipice, and in- 

 stantly rolls down in a cloud of dust to the bottom. 

 Terror has now laid hold of her, and with all speed 

 she strives to clamber up the unsteady sides. For 

 a moment escape appears possible, but the Argus- 

 eyed monster below starts up into activity, and 

 piling upon his head a huge load of sand, he shoots 

 it after the escaping ant, and once more brings her 



