AN'TIIIM, one of the most ancient cities of Latium, stood on the coast 34 m. s.s.c. from Rome. Being favorably situated for commerce and piracy, it became, under the Volseians, into whose hands it had fallen, one of the most powerful enemies of rising Rome, until finally subdued (338 nee.). It became a favorite resort of the wealthy Romans, and some of the most famous remains of ancient art have been discovered among the ruins of their villas and palaces; such as the Apollo Belvedere, and the Bor ghese Gladiator. It was the birthplace of the emperors Caligula and Nero; and the latter constructed a splendid port by means of two moles inclosing a basin 2 m. in ence. Remains of the moles still exist, although the basin is mostly filled up with sand.
Antium was completely destroyed by the Saracens during the middle ages; and it was only in the 17th c., when the port was very partially restored, that the modern vil lage of PORTO D'ANzo arose, the pop. of which does not exceed 500. Near the village Nettuno, in the neighborhood, the ruins of a temple of Neptune are discernible under the sea.
the larva of an insect (myrineleon formiearium) of the order neuroptem, remarkable for its habits, which have been carefully observed by some of the ablest naturalists of Europe. It inhabits sandy districts, is not known in Britain, and is more common in the south of Europe than in the north. The perfect insect is about an inch long, and has a considerable general resemblance to a dragonfly. The larva is rather more than half an inch long; it has a very large abdomen, and a small head, which, however, is furnished with two very large incurved mandibles. It has six legs, but is
incapable of rapid locomotion, and generally moves backwards. It feeds upon the juices of insects, particularly of ants, in order to obtain which it excavates with the greatest inge nuity a funnel-shaped hole in sandy ground, and lies in wait at the bottom, all but its mandibles buried in the sand. Insects which approach too near to the edge of the hole then become its prey, by the loose sand giving way, so that they fall down the steep slope. If they do not fall quite to the bottom, but begin to scramble up again, the A. throws sand upon them by jerking its head, and so brings them back. It employs its head in the same way to eject their bodies from its pit, after their juices have been sucked, and casts them to a considerable distance; and by the same means throws away the sand in excavating its hole, first plowing it up with its body, and then placing it upon its head by means of one of its fore-legs. It always begins by working round the circular circumference of its future hole, and gradually narrows and deepens it; turning quite round after each time that it works round the hole, so as to employ next time the fore-leg of the other side. When it meets with a stone which it cannot remove, it deserts the excavation, and begins another. The pit, when completed, is usually about 30 in. in diameter by 20 in depth.