FOOD OF INSECTS. 243 
inner leg. But it knows that it is the sand in the interior of the circle only 
that is to be excavated, and it therefore constantly uses the leg next the 
centre. It will readily occur, however, that to use one leg as a shoyel 
exclusively throughout the whole of such a toilsome operation, would be 
extremely wearisome and painful. For this difficulty our ingenious pioneer 
has a resource. After finishing the excavation of one circular furrow, it 
traces the next in an opposite direction ; and thus alternately exercises 
each of its legs without tiring either. 
In the course of its labours it frequently meets with small stones: these 
it places upon its head one by one, and jerks over the margin of the pit. 
But sometimes, when near the bottom, a pebble presents itself of a size so 
large that this process is impossible, its head not being sufficiently broad 
and strong to bear so great a weight, and the height being too considerable 
to admit of projecting so large a body to the top. A more impatient 
labourer would despair, but not so our insect, A new plan is adopted. 
By a maneeuvre, not easily described, it lifts the stone upon its back, keeps 
it in a steady position by an alternate motion of the segments which com. 
pose that part ; and carefully walking up the ascent with the burthen, 
deposits it on the outside of the margin. When, as occasionally happens, 
the stone is round, the labour becomes most difficult and painful. A 
spectator watching the motions of the ant-lion feels an inexpressible 
interest in its behalf. He sees it with vast exertion elevate the stone, and 
begin its arduous retrograde ascent : at every moment the burthen totters 
to one side or the other: the adroit porter lifts up the segments of its back 
to balance it, and has already nearly reached the top of the pit, when a 
stumble or a jolt mocks all its efforts, and the stone tumbles headlong to 
the bottom. Mortified, but not despairing, the ant-lion returns to the 
charge ; again replaces the stone on its back ; again ascends the side, and 
artfully avails himself, for a road, of the channel formed by the falling 
stone, against the sides of which he can support his load. This time pos- 
sibly he succeeds ; or it may be, as is often the case, the stone again rolls 
down. When thus unfortunate, our little Sisyphus has been seen six times 
patiently to renew his attempt, and was at last, as such heroic resolution 
deserved, successful. It is only after a series of trials have demonstrated 
the impossibility of succeeding that our engineer yields to fate, and, quit- 
ting 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 con- 
tracting 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 pre- 
* ‘The nests of this animal which I saw at Fontainebleau (in the pit producing the 
fossil named after that place) were scarcely half the dimensions here given, but 
they might probably be younger insects. I kept one in a box of sand several days, 
in which it regularly formed its pit, whenever obliterated by shaking. ‘The bottom 
of the box unfortunately came out as I was upon my return to England, and the 
Aninal was killed, 
R2 
