136 



ANIMAL STUDIES 



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cealed. Insects stumbling into their pitfalls are pelted with* 

 sand, which the ant-lion throws at them with a jerky motion 

 of the head, and are speedily tumbled down the shifting 

 sides of the funnel to be seized and devoured. 



While the white ants are not in any way related to the 

 true ants, they possess many similar habits. Associated in 

 great companies, they excavate winding galleries in old logs 

 and stumps, and, further, are most interesting because of 

 the division of labor among the various members. The 

 wingless forms are divided into the workers, which exca- 

 vate, care for the young, and otherwise labor for the good 

 of the others; and into the soldiers, huge-headed forms, 



FIG. 78. Ant-lion larva plowing its way through the sand (upper figure) while an- 

 other is commencing the excavation of a funnel-shaped pit similar to one on right. 

 Photograph by A. L. MELANDER and C. T. BRUES. 



whose strong jaws serve to protect the colony. The re- 

 maining winged forms are the kings and queens. In the 

 spring many of the royalty fly away from home, shed their 

 wings, unite in pairs, and set about to organize a colony. 

 The queen rapidly commences to develop eggs, and in some 



