26 [January, 



In May of this }^ear (1919), however, on one occasion I had ratliev better luck, 

 and a few notes of wliat a female hirsuta did in the course of an hour or so may 

 be wortli reproducing^', though possibly only as confirming previous observations. 



At the foot of some sand-hills at Abersoch, North Wales, on a bare stretch 

 of sand amongst the Pstnmna grass, I saw a small hirsiita walking rapidlv, 

 astride a caterpillar, which was encircled just behind the head bv the wasp's 

 long curved mandibles. A s I approached, the wasp flew away. I found the grub 

 to be a yellow-white, hairless, lepidopterous larva, one inch long, a sixth of an 

 inch thick, and very flaccid ; and it showed no sign of life. The wasp, returning 

 suddenlj^ on foot from somewhere, seized the grub near its hinder extremity, 

 carried it a few inches " tail foremost," and then changed round, resuming the 

 original grip behind the grub's head. This amusing mistake and correction 

 were made many times in the course of the journey of twenty yards which 

 followed, along the side of the sand-dune obliquel}' to the top of the ridge. Each 

 time it became necessary for me to make a step in order to overtake the wasp 

 she took fright and left her pre^', and often had great difficulty in finding it 

 again. She always first searched on foot, and, if unsuccessful, took a few 

 circling flights. Even after these, on lauding, she would sometimes run past 

 her caterpillar, and have to begin her search afresh. 



During the whole journey she showed terrific energy and excitability, her 

 mien being that of a very fussy terrier. Her wings fluttered and quivered 

 continuously. I clearly saw several times that the limp caterpillar was being 

 carried for a short distance clear of the ground, but could not see where it was 

 held except at the neck, as all the legs of the Ammophila appeared to be in use 

 for locomotion. The only guess I can make is that the grub was nipped be- 

 tween the basal joints of the wasp's hind legs ; that is, unless the sting could 

 have come into play as a partial support. 



Arrived at the open burrow, which was in a sloping bank at the summit 

 of the dune, the grub was left outside wdth its head to the opening, whilst the 

 wasp w^ent inside. Her head shortly afterwards appeared, and she dragged 

 the grub in, going backwards herself until she disappeared. After a con- 

 siderable time, during which, doubtless, an egg would be placed upon the 

 caterpillar, she came out and began sending the loose sand backwards into 

 tlie burrow by means of a rapid scratching action, this operation lasting several 

 minutes. Next, many small fragments of dead bracken, broken grass-stem, 

 and shell debris w^ere carried in piecemeal, interspersed with occasional showers 

 of sand ; but the burrow was only filled with this material to about an inch 

 below the entrance. The next business was the closing of the burrow, but I 

 was disappointed to see the wasp try to effect this by placing larger pieces of 

 bracken and stick across the opening, instead of using the small flat stone I 

 had read about. However, all her efforts with this material failed ; the pieces 

 would either slip away or fall inside, and at last she removed them all, per- 

 formed a few scratching and smoothing operations on the sand, and flew away. 



I thought this was the end ; but, as I was rising from my cramped 

 watching position, the Ammophila appeared about two yards away, in an 

 unexpected quarter, carrying a large dried rabbit-pellet in her jaws, and 

 looking for all the world like a giant ant with a cocoon. INluch trouble was 

 taken in fitting this pellet into place, but in the end it was not uj^ed, the 



