XII THE IGNORANCE OF INSTINCT 167 



the midst of this horrible banquet I have seen both 

 murderer and prey seized by the Mantis ; the robber 

 was plundered by a second robber. Horrible to 

 relate, while the Mantis held it transpierced by the 

 points of the double saw, and was already gnawing 

 the under parts, the Philanthus went on licking the 

 honey, unable to abandon the delicious food even in 

 the throes of death. Let us cast a veil over these 

 horrors. 



We return to the Sphex, with whose burrow we 

 must make acquaintance before going further. It is 

 made of fine sand, or rather in the fine dust at the 

 bottom of a natural shelter. Its passage is very 

 short — an inch or two without a turn, leading into a 

 single spacious oval chamber, and all is a rude, 

 hastily made den, rather than a dwelling hollowed 

 with art and leisure. I have already said that the 

 captured prey, left for a brief moment or two where 

 it was hunted, is the cause of the simplicity of this 

 abode and of there being but one chamber or cell to 

 each hollow. For who can say whither the chances 

 of the day's hunt may lead ? The dwelling must be 

 near the heavy prey, and to-day's abode, too far off 

 to admit of carrying the second ephippiger there, 

 cannot be used to-morrow. Thus each time prey is 

 caught there must be new digging out — a new 

 burrow with its one cell, now here, now there. Now 

 let us try some experiments to see how the insect 

 behaves amid circumstances new to it. 



First experiment. — A Sphex, dragging her prey, 

 is at a few inches from her burrow. Without dis- 

 turbing her I cut the antennae of the ephippiger, 

 which we already know serve as harness. Having 



