380 
LION-ANT. 
Near the edge of the first farrow he opens a second, 
and then a third, and several others which are 
smaller than the preceding, and sinks himself from 
time to time deeper in the sand, which he throws 
aside with his horns, on the edges of the furrows, 
and to a much greater distance, always marching 
backward in a spiral line. The repeated strokes of 
his head whirl the sand out of the circle, and gra- 
dually scoop out a cavity; in which operation he ex- 
ceeds the best engineers, and describes a perfect 
circle without the assistance of compasses. He 
likewise gives the slope of earth which he hollows 
all possible solidity. In this dexterous manner 
with great labour he completes his trench, which 
resembles an inverted cone, or rather the inside of a 
funnel. 
When this creature is newly .hatched he opens 
a very small furrow, but as he increases in size he 
digs one more spacious, the cavity of which is two 
inches or more in diameter, and as much in depth. 
When the work is completed, he forms his ambus- 
cade, and conceals himself under the sand in such a 
manner that his horns exactly wind round the 
point in which the bottom of the funnel terminates. 
In this situation he watches for his prey, hiding 
himself in such a manner that his two horns only 
are seen at the bottom of the pit. The sides of his 
pitfall are made of the most loose and crumbling 
materials, so that, if an insect has the misfortune to 
fall down the slope, it stands but little chance of re- 
turning alive. When he is apprised by the fall 
