CHAPTER XVI 



THE ANTHRAX FLY 



I 



A STRANGE MEAL 



I MADE the acquaintance of the Anthrax in 1855 at 

 Carpentras, when I was searching the slopes of 

 which I have already told you, the slopes beloved 

 of the Anthophora-bees. Her curious pupa, so power- 

 fully equipped to force an outlet for the perfect insect, 

 which is incapable of the least effort, seemed worthy of 

 investigation. For that pupa is armed with a plough- 

 share in front, a trident at its tail, and rows of harpoons 

 on its back, with which to rip open the Osmia-bee's cocoon 

 and break through the hard crust of the hill-side. 



Let us, some day in July, knock away the pebbles that 

 fasten the nests of the Mason-bees to the sloping ground 

 on which they are built. Loosened by the shock, the 

 dome comes off cleanly, all in one piece. Moreover — 

 and this is a great advantage — the cells are all exposed 

 at the base of the nest, for at this point they have no other 

 wall than the surface of the pebble. Without any scrap- 

 ing, which would be wearisome work for us and danger- 

 ous to the Bees, we have all the cells before our eyes, to- 



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