106 THE ANT-LION. 
an opportunity of observing his habits. Fig. 161 represents 
the ant-lion at this time, showing the under aide with the feet 
in a natural position. At first he was so timid that as. soon 
as any one approached he stopped where he was and re- 
mained motionless until left alone. If his pitfall was de- 
stroyed he dug a new one; but during all the time I kept 
Fig. 161. MC v. him I never saw 
T" ~ the whole process 
=== surface he would 
keep quite still 
— for a few mo- 
ments, then retreat backward, by jerks, under the sand. He 
never moved forward but always backward by the contrac- 
tions of his abdomen as much as by his feet, making a furrow 
through the sand. He seldom travelled 
an inch in one direction, and often made a 
complete circle in that distance. I think 
he commenced his pitfall by making a 
circle of this kind, and afterward throw- 
ing out the sand from the centre. In 
dipping he used his flat head and jaws, ihid: were iud 
under several grains of sand and then jerked upward, throw- 
ing their load sometimes as far as six inches; and always far 
enough to avoid leaving a ridge around the pitfall. When 
the pit was finished rg was entirely concealed beneath it, as 
in Fig. 160, except his jaws, which were spread apart hori- 
zontally at the bottom. The surface of the pit being as steep 
as the sand could be piled up was very easily disturbed; and 
when an insect ventured over the edge the ant-lion was ap- 
prised of it at once by the falling sand. He immediately be- 
gan to throw up sand from the bottom, deepening the pit and 
so causing the sand to slip down from the sides and the insect 
Fig. 162. 
