INSECTA. 141 



which allows free passage for the --water and excludes 

 enemies. They live in ponds and standing waters, but 

 mostly go on land to await their metamorphosis. 



To the Terrestrial Transparent Winged belongs, 

 first, 



The Ant Lion (myrmecoleon libello ides), plate 26, fig. 

 5a, 56, which measures more than an inch in longitude ; 

 has long, hanging wings, with dark brown spots, and 

 short, club-like antennae ; somewhat resembles the drag- 

 on-fly, and feeds on soft fruits. It lays its eggs in the 

 sand, from which the larvae, in time, develope ; the lar- 

 vte are about three fourths of an inch long, of a grayish- 

 brown color, with three pairs of feet and pincer-like 

 mandibles, which are hollow, and serve as suckers. This 

 insect always moves in a backward direction ; therefore, 

 being incapable of pursuing prey, it has recourse to 

 stratagem, which it practices as follows : it digs in the 

 sand a conical pitfall, in the bottom of which it lies con- 

 cealed, only keeping its jaws exposed. If an unlucky 

 insect, an ant, for instance, comes to the edge of this 

 tunnel, it is almost certain to fall in, when it is at once 

 seized by the jaws of the tyrant, and squeezed to death. 

 Sometimes the poor ant has strength enough to cling to 

 the side of the tunnel, but the wily foe knows how to 

 meet the difficulty, and in such a case never fails to 

 shower sand upon it, which rarely fails to bring it to 

 the bottom of the pit. It is most interesting to watch 

 the contest between the striving insects, the one defend- 

 ing itself bravely, which is, however, unavailing, for no 

 matter how vigorously it may resist, the ambushed foe, 

 continuing to throw up sand with its shovel-formed head, 

 is sure to conquer. 



The ant-lion never feeds on dead insects. Before 



