THE ANT-LION. 



Similar to the spider. 



queen with the utmost solicitude, some of them 

 stopping at the head of the latter, as if to give 

 her something. When they came to the extre- 

 mity of the abdomen, they took the eggs from 

 her, carried them away, and piled them carefully 

 together in some part of the chamber, or in the 

 bowl under, or behind any broken pieces of clay 

 which lay most conveniently for the purpose. 



THE ANT-LION 



IS the caterpillar of a fly somewhat resem- 

 bling the dragon-fly, and derives its name from 

 living principally on ants. In the mode of taking 

 its prey, and in the figure of its body, this insect 

 is not much unlike the spider. Its body is CQIH- 

 posed of several rings, and its colour is a dirty 

 grey., marked with black spots. The head is 

 small and flat, and from s this proceed two horns, 

 each about the sixth of an inch long, hard, hol- 

 low, and hooked at the end. The jaws are hol- 

 low, and serve as pumps to draw into its stomach 

 the juices of those insects on which it feeds; for 

 in the head there is no mouth, nor any other or- 

 gan which can answer the same purpose. Ttie 

 horns being therefore so necessary to its life, na- 

 ture has provided for the restoring of them in 

 case of accident; for, if cut off, they are found 

 to grow again. 



VOL. vj. NO. 44. 2 H 



