. Nature sketches in temperate America, a series of sketches and a popular account of insects, birds, and plants, treated from some aspects of their evolution and ecological relations . .After a time the ant-lion finally retires from his housekeepingand spins a cocoon of silk in the sand (see figure). Thisusually occurs in the fall of the year, and the winter is spentin this snug abode. In the next season the winged insect, shown here on a twigof milkweed, emerges into the outer world. It has four dainty,lace-like wings and the head bears a pair of short, club-shapedantennae, which distinguish
. Nature sketches in temperate America, a series of sketches and a popular account of insects, birds, and plants, treated from some aspects of their evolution and ecological relations . .After a time the ant-lion finally retires from his housekeepingand spins a cocoon of silk in the sand (see figure). Thisusually occurs in the fall of the year, and the winter is spentin this snug abode. In the next season the winged insect, shown here on a twigof milkweed, emerges into the outer world. It has four dainty,lace-like wings and the head bears a pair of short, club-shapedantennae, which distinguish it at once from small dragon-flieswith which it might be confused. At a suitable time the femaledeposits her eggs in the sand, one at a time, and from these eggshatch the remarkable ant-lion larvse which form the theme ofthis sketch. In another chapter on the Habitat of the Orthoptera, thelandscape photograph there presented also shows to the leftthe place where I made the observations of the ant-lions. Itmay be seen here as a fight, sandy area. This species frequentedthis spot year after year, though not, of course, the sameindividuals. 182 NATURE SKETCHES IN TEMPERATE AMERICA. The Evening PrimroseSpider Trap ^HAT a poeticalmood nature was inwhen she evolvedthe evening prim-rose with its dainty yellowblossoms, that forecast thenight by opening just beforesundown! If it were not for theopening of these flowers toward sunset, therewould not be accommodation for the night-flying moths, which depend upon such flowersfor their honey. And were it not for these flowers,what would become of the yellow and rose-colored moth whichfrequents the half-open blossoms in daytime for the protectionit there enjoys by its harmonious coloring ? Again, how littledo these insect guests of the evening primrose suspect thatwithin the delicate flower petals an invisible animated trapsometimes awaits their coming, which in a twinkling andwithout warning literally catches them in the jaws of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectins
