FORMICA LEO. 199 
ture could have fasted for montlis does 
seem surprising. 
Mother. When it was taken out of 
the box it bad shrunk to a very small 
size. 
The gentleman^ who first observed the 
manners and habits of this creature, dis- 
covered, that it passes the winter months 
without food ; probably it sleeps during 
the cold weather, like the squirrel and 
the dormouse. However hungry it may 
be it never sucks a dead animal, although 
but that moment killed. The myrmeleon 
that was kept in the box was often 
tempted with flies just killed ; but they 
remained untouched, as if it enjoyed the 
prey only wliich it had the sport of catch- 
ing. 
When it has attained its full growth, 
and is about to become a chrysalis, it 
prepares for the change by burying itself 
in the sand. 
Lucy. I dare say, when beetles meet 
with it in that state, they soon revenge 
the many poor creatures it had destroyed. 
