FABRE'S BOOK OF INSECTS 



flung into the refuse-heap below. But the poisoned dag- 

 ger seems to be reserved for great occasions. If I throw 

 the grub of a Saw-fly among the Wasps they show great 

 surprise at the black-and-green dragon; they snap at it 

 boldly, and wound it, but without stinging it. They try 

 to haul it away. The dragon resists, anchoring itself to 

 the comb by its hooks, holding on now by its fore-legs 

 and now by its hind-legs. At last the grub, however, 

 weakened by its wounds, is torn from the comb and 

 dragged bleeding to the refuse-pit. It has taken a 

 couple of hours to dislodge it. 



Supposing, on the other hand, I throw on to the combs 

 a certain imposing grub that lives under the bark of 

 cherry-trees, five or six Wasps will at once prick it with 

 their stings. In a couple of minutes it is dead. But the 

 hugh dead body is much too heavy to be carried out of 

 the nest. So the Wasps, finding they cannot move 

 the grub, eat it where it lies, or at least reduce its weight 

 till they can drag the remains outside the walls. 



Ill 



THEIR SAD END 



Protected in this fierce way against the invasion of in- 

 truders, and fed with excellent honey, the grubs in my 

 cage prosper greatly. But of course there are excep- 



[152] 



