it met with
a stone so large as to render this impossible, it would have left the
place, and chosen another spot of ground. Fortunately this was not the
case, and they had an opportunity of watching the labour to its
conclusion.

For nearly an hour they sat watching it--of course not neglecting their
other affairs--and, at the end of that time, the ant-lion had jerked out
so much sand, that a little funnel-shaped pit was formed nearly as deep
as it was wide. This was its trap, and it was now finished and ready for
action.

Having made all its arrangements, it had nothing more to do than remain
at the bottom of the pit, and wait patiently until some unfortunate ant
should chance to come that way and fall in; and where these insects were
constantly wandering over the ground, such an accident would, sooner or
later, be certain to take place.

Lest the ant should peep into the pit, discover its hideous form below,
and then retreat, this ant-lion had actually the cunning to bury its
body in the sand, leaving only a small portion of its head to be seen.

Both Dona Isidora and the little Leona remained watching with increased
interest. They were very anxious to witness the result. They were not
kept long in suspense. I have already stated that many ants were
crawling about. There were dozens of them "quatering" the ground in
every direction in search of their own prey; and they left not an inch
of it unsearched. At last one was seen to approach the trap of the
ant-lion. Curiosity brings it to the very edge of that terrible
pit-fall. It protrudes its head and part of its body over the brink--it
is not such a terrible gulf to look into--if it should slip down, it
could easily crawl out again.

Ha! it little knows the enemy that is ambushed there. It perceives
something singular--an odd something--perhaps it might be something good
to eat. It is half resolved to slide down and make a closer examination
of this something. It is balancing on the brink, and would, no doubt,
have gone down voluntarily, but that is no longer left to its own
choice. The mysterious object at the bottom of the funnel suddenly
springs up and shows itself--it is the ant-lion in all its hideous
proportions; and before the little ant can draw itself away, the other
has flung around it a shower of sand that brings it rolling down the
side of the pit. Then the sharp callipers are closed upon the
victim--all the moisture in his body is sucked out--and his