The Life of the Fly 



soaked In oil. Nothing but fluids, the piastic 

 materials held in reserve, can be distilled by 

 the Anthrax' sucker through the unpierced 

 skin of the grub; no part of the respiratory 

 and nervous systems passes. As the two es- 

 sential functions remain unscathed, life goes 

 on until exhaustion is completed. On the 

 other hand, if I myself injure the larva, I 

 disturb the nervous or air-conducting fila- 

 ments; and the bruised part spreads a taint, 

 followed by putrefaction, all over the body. 



I have elsewhere, speaking of the Scolia^ 

 devouring the Cetonia-grub, enlarged upon 

 this refined art of eating which consists in 

 consuming the prey while killing it only at the 

 last mouthfuls. The Anthrax has the same 

 requirements as his competitors who dine off 

 fresh viands. He needs meat of that day, 

 taken from a single joint that has to last a 

 fortnight without going bad. His method of 

 consuming reaches the highest level of art: 

 he does not cut into his prey, he sips it little by 

 little through his sucker. In this way, any 

 dangerous risk is averted. Whether he imbibe 

 at this spot or at that, even if he abandon the 

 sucking-process and resume it later, by no acci- 



^A Digger-wasp who feeds her larvae on the grubs of 

 the Cetonia, or Rose-chafer. Cf. The Life and Love of 

 the Insect: chap. xi. — Translator's Note. 



46 



