FOOD OF INSECTS, 431 



against the sides of which he can support his load. This 

 time possibly he succeeds ; or it may be, as is often the 

 case, the stone again rolls down. When thus unfortu- 

 nate, our little Sisyphus has been seen six times patiently 

 to renew his attempt, and was at last, as such heroic reso- 

 lution deserved, successful. It is only after a series of 

 trials have demonstrated the impossibility of succeeding 

 that our engineer yields to fate, and, quitting his half- 

 excavated pit, begins the formation of another. 



When all obstacles are overcome, and the pit is 

 finished, it presents itself as a conical hole rather more 

 than two inches deep, gradually contracting to a point 

 at the bottom, and about three inches wide at the top*. 

 The ant-lion now takes its station at the bottom of the 

 pit, and, that its gruff appearance may not scare the 

 passengers which approach its den, covers itself with 

 sand all except the points of its expanded forceps. It 

 is not long before an ant on its travels, fearing no' harm, 

 steps upon the margin of the pit, either accidentally or 

 for the purpose of exploring the depth below. Alas ! 

 its curiosity is dearly gratified. The faithless sand 

 slides from under its feet ; its struggles but hasten its 

 descent ; and it is precipitated headlong into the jaws 

 of the concealed devourer. Sometimes, however, it 

 chances that the ant is able to stop itself midway, and 



1 The nests of this animal which I saw at Fontainhleau (in the 

 pit producing the fossil named after that place) were scarcely half 

 the dimensions here given, but they might probably be younger in- 

 sects. I kept one in a box of sand several days, in which it regu- 

 larly formed its pit, whenever obliterated by shaking. The bottom 

 of the box unfortunately came out as I was upon my return to Eng- 

 land, and the animal was killed. 



