38 THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



femur of the second leg. This leg had apparently been stung 

 so that it had swollen cind folded over the free end of the eggy 

 which was thus firmly held in place at both extremities.* Upon 

 examination we found that the abdomen of the grasshopper was 

 beating regularly and automatically but the closest observation 

 failed to discover any other movements nor would any part re- 

 spond when stimulated. At three o'clock in the afternoon we 

 found the abdomen still pulsating, and, in addition, that both 

 antennae moved several times when we lifted off the cover of the 

 jar that contained the insect. On the next morning the grass- 

 hopper was very lively, the antennae and labial palpi moving 

 without stimulation. It had passed faeces, and was able to lift 

 its abdomen, w^hich was curved over toward the head, as it lay 

 on its back, frequently and with considerable violence. On the 

 next afternoon (August sixth) there was no change in the move- 

 ments but the egg was dead. On the seventh the grasshopper 

 responded to stimulation by a slight movement of the palpi and 

 the end of the abdomen. The pulsation of the abdomen contin- 

 ued until the afternoon of the eighth when it ceased, no effort 

 of ours succeeding in starting it again. The movements of the 

 antennse and palpi grew weaker and weaker on the ninth, and 

 on the morning of the tenth the insect was dead, a period of 

 five and a half days having elapsed since it v/as brought into the 

 nest. We caused a wasp of the genus Polistes to sting a grass- 

 hopper of the same species on the under surface of the thorax. 

 The insect was paralyzed and died on the third day. In the 

 wasps studied by Fabr^ the egg hatched in from three to four 

 days, and the grub ate from ten to twelve days before spinning 

 its cocoon. Probably icJinenmonca does not differ greatly from 

 the other species in these particulars. 



We had not supposed that the digging up of her nest would 

 much disturb our Sphex since her connection with it was so 



*Fabre says that all of the three species of Sphex that he has studied 

 lay the egg on this identical place. He lays immense importance on 

 this point which seems to \is rather fanciful. He also noticed the 

 pulsation of the abdomen and the movements of the other parts. 



