e centre of one of the little courts! But, whether from
past experience or innate philosophy in the insect I know not, the
pronged hooks, though coming together with a click once or twice at the
near proximity of the tempter, failed in their opportunity, and the
trap was soon seen carefully set again, flush with the ground at the
mouth of the burrow.

The contrast of these clean-swept door-yards with the mound of debris of
the ants suggested an investigation of the comparative methods of
burrowing and the disposal of the excavated material. Here is a hole
evidently some inches in depth; what, then, has become of the earth
removed? Suiting action to the thought, I swept into the openings of two
or three of the holes quite a quantity of loose earth scraped from the
close vicinity, and thus completely obliterated the opening of burrow,
door-yard and all.

I awaited in vain any sign of returning activity at the surface, and, my
patience being somewhat taxed, I entered my studio, where I remained for
a quarter of an hour, perhaps. Upon stealing cautiously to the doorway,
I observed all the obliterated holes had reappeared, and upon taking
once more my original position I was soon rewarded with a demonstration
of the method of excavation. After a moment or two a pellet of earth
seemed suddenly to rise from within the cavity, and when arrived at the
level of the ground was suddenly shot forth a distance of five or six
inches, as though thrown from a tiny round flat shovel, which suddenly
flashed from the opening, and as quickly retired to its depths, though
not without a momentary display of two curved prongs and a formidable
show of spider-like legs.

After a short lapse of time the act was repeated, this time a tiny stone
being brought to the surface, and, after a brief pause at the doorway,
was jerked to a distance as from a catapult. I now concluded to try the
power of this propelling force, and taking a small stone, about
three-quarters of an inch in length and a quarter-inch in thickness,
laid it over the mouth of the tunnel. A few minutes passed, when I
noticed a slight motion in the stone, immediately followed by a forcible
ejectment, which threw it nearly an inch, the propelling instrument
retiring so quickly into the burrow beneath as to scarce afford a
glimpse. The stone appeared almost to have jumped voluntarily.

For an hour or more the bombardment of pellets and small stones
continued from the mouth of the pi