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GENUS III. 



ANT-EATER. 

 MYRMELEON. 



Chara&er of the Genus. 



The Mouth is form'd of Jaws, with two long Tulles. 



The Antlers are club fafhion'd -, and there are four long Feelers. 



The Wings hang down. 



The Tail is arm'd with a pair of Knippers, in the Male. 



i. THE GREY ANT-EATER, 

 MYRMELEO FORMIC ARUM. 



Plate 5. 



In many of the wing'd Infedts, their prior form of the Worm, or 

 Reptile, riling immediately from the egg, demands a mare of our at- 

 tention, with the Infect in its more perfect and more beautiful ap- 

 pearance ; in the prefent kind, our greater! admiration is demanded 

 in that lefs perfect flate. The Butterflies arife from Caterpillars ;, 

 the Beetles from fix-footed Worms ; and the Dragon-flies from Infects 

 without Wings, which fwim about in water. The creature under 

 conlideration here, approaches to the Dragon Fly in kind ; and in- 

 ks figure, in the Reptile State j being a broad and bloated hexapode; 

 but inhabiting the dryeft earth. 



It is known that birds and beafts of prey can endure great and long- 

 continued hunger; the fierceft moft. This creature, ally'd to the- 

 Savages in its manners, can alfo bear their abftinence : La Hire, of the 

 Paris Academy, obferv'd about fourfcore years ago, that the creature 

 could bear a feven months faft ; 'twas to him we owe the fir/ft notice 

 of this Infect ; fo well defcribed foon after by Vallifnieri, and Pou- 

 part ; and fo much fpoken of, and fo poorly underftood, by the petty 

 retailers of natural knowledge iince. 



The Reptile State of this pretty Fly, known by the name Formi- 

 caleo, is a coarfe Infect, of a pale yellow, ftreak'd with brown, and 

 varied with fome black tufts of hairs ; but ufually it is fo covered with 

 dirrt, that ft looks brown : its habitation is under ground 3 it forms a pit, 

 like a funnel, of dry dull, and lies conceal'd in the centre of it, to 

 catch the Ants, or other little creatures,, that fall into it. 



Its Head is broad, and flat, and has a pair of Tufks, or Horns ,-:or,* 

 by whatever name we may call parts unknown to larger animals 3 thefe 



- ase 



