X THE SPHEX OF LANGUEDOC 141 



sometimes in a shelter formed by a projecting bit 

 of sandstone, such as is sought by the fierce-eyed 

 lizard as a vestibule to its retreat. The sun falls 

 full upon it ; the place is a furnace. The soil is 

 extremely easy to hollow, formed as it is by ancient 

 dust which has dropped little by little from the roof. 

 The mandibles, which act as pincers to dig with, and 

 the tarsi, as rakes to clear away, soon hollow the 

 cavity. Then the Sphex flies off, but in a leisurely 

 way, and without any great expenditure of wing 

 power, a manifest sign that the expedition is not a 

 long one. One's eye can easily follow the insect 

 and discover where it alights, usually some ten yards 

 off. Sometimes it decides to go on foot. It sets 

 out, hurrying to a spot where we will be indiscreet 

 enough to follow, our presence noways troubling it. 

 Having arrived on foot or on the wing it hunts about 

 for a while, as one may conclude from its indecision 

 and short excursions on all sides. It seeks and at 

 last finds, or rather finds anew. The object found 

 is an ephippiger, half-paralysed, but still moving 

 antennae, tarsi, and ovipositor — a victim which the 

 Sphex certainly poignarded a little while before with 

 several stings, and then left her prey, an embarrassing 

 burden, while she still hesitated as to the choice of 

 a domicile. Perhaps she abandoned it on the very 

 spot of the capture, leaving it rather obvious on a 

 grass tuft the better to find it later, and trusting to 

 her good memory to return where lies the booty, set 

 to work to explore the neighbourhood and find a 

 suitable spot to burrow. This done she came back 

 for the game which was found without much hesi- 

 tation, and now she prepares to convey it home. 



