MISCELLANEOUS NOTES, 153 



head, and then come two enormous scythes quite out of proportion to the 

 size of the creature, but rather small than otherwise compared to its villainy. 

 These scythes under a lens are toothed. Why is it called an " ant-lion ?" It 

 is quite as like a rabbit as a lion and is not much more like an ant than you or 

 I. Imagine one of these creatures the size of a horse ! How we should run ! 

 Though common enough, they are by no means easy to get, because even when 

 you get them out of the sand they live in, they look exactly like a pellet of 

 sand as they curl themselves up and the sand sticks in the bristles. When 

 you press a pellet of sand with the forefinger, it disintegrates : when you 

 press an ant-lion " made up" to represent a pellet of sand, it does not. I know 

 of no other rough and ready test. Put an " ant-lion " on the table and it 

 looks and behaves like a fool, put it on sand, and you will have to be quick 

 if you want to say " good-bye. " A wriggle or two, and it's gone —backwards 

 down into the sand. 



In ordinary life he makes a funne) in the sand, by gathering the sand ou his 

 head and scythes, and jerking it over his left shoulder, — in much the same 

 way as superstitious people do when they spill the salt, — and it is surprising 

 how far he can throw and what a neat funnel he makes. Having made it he 

 sits below with " gently smiling jaws " waiting for weary ants to " drop in." 

 When an ant rolls down it's soon all over. The ant-lion catches it at once and 

 buries itself, and when the ant is quite done with, reappears. The desiccated 

 ant is ejected and the funnel set in order for the second course. 



A. E. RYVES, 



Allahabad, September, 1895. 



No. XI.— A TURTLE KILLING A CROCODILE. 



A few days ago when out in camp I rested for a time on the bank of a 

 small river. There was a pool of very clear water about 50 yards long and 

 some four or five feet deep, and I could see the fish swimming about in it 

 plainly. 



Immediately in front of me was a submerged rock with a sloping surface, 

 the top being some six or more inches under water. I happened to be 

 watching a big fish moving near this rock, when suddenly a small fish-eating 

 crocodile came and sat on the rock. He sat up with his eyes level with the 

 water and began to watch me. I sat quite still and watched him. Suddenly I 

 saw a swirl in the water, and something seized the crocodile from behind and 

 passed over the rock into deep water. I saw that it was a turtle about two feet 

 six inches long. Then began a fight which lasted perhaps three-quarters of 

 an hour. The pair splashed about all over the place. The crocodile was at 

 times lifted half out of the water, and I could see hirp twisting round to try 

 and catch hold of his enemy. After a time the crocodile became exhausted, 

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