234 A NATURALIST IN HIMALAYA 



Ant-lions are cannibals. I took a larva from one 

 pit and placed it in another pit. The owner resented 

 the intrusion and treated the strano^er with the same 

 severity that it metes out to any other insect. 



I observed on more than one occasion that, after 

 an ant had succeeded in escaping from the pit, it 

 moved about with the greatest circumspection, study- 

 ing every step for fear it might fall into a similar trap. 

 The ant had apparently benefited by its rough ex- 

 perience ; its mind had proved susceptible to a simple 

 education which is the most certain test of animal 

 intelligence. 



The mode of construction of the pit is ingenious. 

 The larva commences by crawling backwards and 

 using the point of its abdomen as a shovel, by means 

 of which it digs its way under the surface of 

 the sand. After disappearing from view it moves 

 round so as to make a circular furrow beneath the 

 soil. This circle is the aperture of the pit. From 

 within the circle it then commences to cast out the 

 sand and thus deepen the depression. The sides slope 

 gradually downwards to the bottom of the pit where 

 the ant-lion lies buried. After the trap is fully con- 

 structed, little particles of sand are continually falling 

 down the crumbling sides, but are immediately thrown 

 out by the occupant. As well as I could observe, the 

 larva fixes its stout abdomen in the sand, and, using 

 this as a point of fixation, it jerks the head and jaws 

 suddenly upwards and pitches out at each thrust a 

 little cloud of sand. 



The strength of the creature must be prodigious in 

 proportion to its bulk. I have seen it hurling clear 

 out of the bottom of the pit small pebbles ten to 



