NOTES ON ANT LIONS

Extract

As my former notes on the Ant Lions were of interest to some of your readers, perhaps a few additional particulars on the same subject may not be objectionable to them. Having had another opportunity of observing their habits, I made the best use I could of it. The abdomen of the nymph is somewhat heart-shaped, flat beneath and very much rounded above, thickest near the thorax, and sloping off suddenly to the sides and tail, which is an acute point. The thorax is long, and with the head is narrow and flat above, a form no doubt well adapted to its requirements. Its mode of travelling is backwards, always “advancing to the reat,” one side contracted, which produces a circular movement, so that when one was placed in the centre of,the palm of the hand, it made two rounds before it dropped over the side. As soon as it touched the sand it put itself instantly out of sight under the surface, where it lay for a short time perfectly quiet. When it began the formation of its pit, which I watched to its completion, it commenced by a jerk of the head and thorax, which threw the sand off and exposed them to view. It lowered them at once, made a sudden start back, when the sand covered them; then another jerk and another backward move rapidly executed, always throwing the sand to the outside.