88 POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



The jaws afford one of the many proofs of design which 

 are so frequently met with in the insect world ; they are 

 turned upwards, contrary to the usual formation, but were 

 they in the ordinary position, the animal, which takes its 

 station at the mouth of its hole to catch stray insects, 

 would be compelled to throw back the head to a great dis- 

 tance, in order to snap at them, whereas its present forma- 

 tion enables it to take them without any difficulty ; the 

 hooks on the back are also worthy of our notice, as it is 

 by their assistance that the insect climbs up, and retains 

 its situation at the mouth of the cell. 



The same amusing author just quoted, says of one whose 

 hole he seems to have destroyed : " He set to work to 

 make another, for which purpose he used his feet and jaws, 

 loosening the sand with his feet, and fetching it out with 

 his jaws : in this way he got down about half an inch, and 

 then adroitly hanging himself to the edge of the hole by his 

 hooks, he continued his labours in this droll situation ; at 

 last he got out of sight, and as he did not appear again, I 

 concluded he was taking a nap after his labours/' 



