THE SPIDER-HUNTERS 



that the one we were watching had been robbed, and 

 rescuing the spider, placed it in the doorway of the 

 nest. We had judged wrongly, for a moment later our 

 wasp came back bringing her own spider, and dropping 

 it near by, ran to look at her nest. She was disturbed 

 at finding the way blocked, and dug out a little earth 

 to one side of the strix. Then she flew to some holes in 

 the ground not far away and dug a little, first in one and 

 then in the other. After this she took a look at her spider, 

 and then went back and dug a little more at her own 

 nest. Finally she seized the impeding strix by a leg, 

 dragged it out of the way and paid no further attention 

 to it, storing her own spider and departing, although 

 the one she had rejected might have saved a hunting 

 expedition. 



At another time we saw two wasps digging their nests 

 two or three feet apart. One of them finished before the 

 other, and being unable to find her own spider (probably 

 it had been carried away by the ants), she seized that 

 of her neighbor and bore it away. The rightful owner 

 saw from a distance what was happening, and ran to 

 the rescue. A violent scrimmage ensued, the two wasps 

 clinching and rolling over and over together. The rob- 

 ber escaped and made off, but was followed and caught 

 again. She fought so well for her ill-gotten treasure, 



211 



