THE LION-ANT. 9 



and crooked at the ends. At the basis of the 

 feelers there are two small black lively eyes, by 

 which it can see the smallest object, as is easily 

 discovered by its starting from every thing that 

 approaches. 



To a form so unpromising, and so ill provided 

 for the purposes of rapacity, this animal unites 

 the most ravenous appetites in nature; but to 

 mark its imbecility still stronger, as other ani- 

 mals have wings or feet to enable them to advance 

 towards their prey, the lion-ant is unprovided with 

 such assistance from either. It has legs indeed ; 

 but these only enable it to run backward, so that 

 it could as soon die as make the smallest progres- 

 sive motion. Thus, famished and rapacious as 

 it ever seems, its prey must come to it, or rather 

 into the snare provided for it, or the insidious 

 assassin must starve. 



But nature, that has denied it strength or swift- 

 ness, has given it an equivalent in cunning, so that 

 no animal fares more sumptuously, without ever 

 stirring from its retreat. For this purpose, it 

 chooses a dry sandy place, at the foot of a wall, 

 or under some shelter, in order to preserve its 

 machinations from the rain. The driest and 

 most sandy spot is the most proper for it; be- 

 cause a heavy clogged earth would defeat its la- 

 bour. When it goes about to dig the hole where 

 it takes its prey, it begins to bend the hinder part 

 of its body, which is pointed, and thus works 

 backward ; making, after several attempts, a cir- 

 cular furrow, which serves to mark out the size of 

 the hole it intends making, as the ancients mark- 



