THE ANT-LION. 243 



Catches its prey only by stratagem. 



small insect happens to walk over the edges of 

 the hollow, its steps force down some of the par- 

 ticles, which gives the ant-lion notice of its pre- 

 sence. He immediately throws up the sand 

 which covers his head, to overwhelm the ant, 

 and, with its returning force, bring it to the bot- 

 tom : this he continues to do till the insect is 

 overcome, and falls between his horns. Every 

 endeavour to escape, when once the incautious 

 ant has stepped within the verge of the pit, is 

 vain; for in all its attempts to climb the side, 

 the deceptious sand slips from under its feet, and 

 every struggle precipitates it still lower. When 

 within reach, its enemy plunges the points of his 

 jaws into its body, and, having sucked out all its 

 juices, throws out the empty skin to some dis- 

 tance, that the den may not become frightful to 

 others by seeing their fellow carcases strewed 

 about. This done, the insect mounts the edges 

 of his pit, and repairs whatever injury it may 

 have sustained ; and then, descending, again con- 

 ceals himself at the bottom. 



As this creature has no power of catching its 

 prey in any other way, but by its pit (which, 

 however, procures it but little food) its motions 

 are very slow, and therefore some have believed 

 that its catching now and then an ant by this 

 means, was rather an act of diversion than hun- 

 ger. But though the ant-lion will live a long 

 time without food, and even pass through all its 

 changes when shut up in a box, yet it is always 



9 2 H 2 



