Miners, Diggers, and Carpenters. 



stage is said to last some considerable time ; but at 

 last the Ant-lion begins to weave a rough cocoon, using 

 a good deal of sand mixed with the silk, as it has not 

 an abundant secretion of the latter. In this cocoon the 

 final transformations take place, and the adult, perfect 

 insect escapes from it, not as a weak-legged, bloated- 

 bodied creature, but as a graceful, slender-bodied, 

 gauzy-winged insect, very much resembling a dragon- 

 fly in appearance, save that the horns or antennae on 

 its head are clubbed at the tip. There are several 

 species of Ant-lion, and they are to be found in tropical 

 and subtropical countries, and it is interesting to note 

 that they do not all dig pitfalls, some being content to 

 merely hide their soft, ungainly bodies in the sand 

 and to rush out upon their prey. 



The larva of the Tiger Beetle also digs a pitfall, 

 which serves the double purpose of trap and dwelling. 

 It is by no means beautiful at this stage of its life, and 

 one would never guess from its appearance that in 

 the perfect state it was destined to be one of the hand- 

 somest of our British beetles. It has a long, fat, pale 

 body, with two little processes like blunt hooks on its 

 back, a hard, flat head, and a pair of formidable, sickle- 

 shaped jaws. Its soft body is quite defenceless, while 

 its six spiny legs are very short and of little use for 

 running about, either in search of prey or to escape 

 from foes ; so the Tiger larva must needs hide its body 

 from the view of many hungry foes who would devour it 

 the moment they set eyes on its plump shape, and await 

 in concealment the approach of prey. It is, therefore, 

 for this double purpose that the larva digs a shaft to live 

 in, where it may lurk in safety, and lure its unsuspect- 



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