100 THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



account of a similar state of things existing among wasps, ants, 

 and frog-hoppers. He tells of one species of ant which has 

 adopted the role of protector, and which feels its responsibilities 

 so thoroughly that it will bite the hand of any one who inter- 

 feres mth the young frog-hoppers. He says, "These leaf-hop- 

 pers are, when young, so soft-bodied and sluggish in their move- 

 ments, and there are so many enemies ready to prey upon them, 

 that I imagine that in the tropics many species would be exter- 

 minated if it were not for the protection of the ants. 



"Similarly as in the Savannahs, I had observed a wasp attend- 

 ing the honey-glands of the buU's-horn acacia along with the 

 ants; so at Santo Domingo another wasp, belonging to quite a 

 different genus (Nectarina), attended some of the clusters of 

 frog-hoppers, and for the possession of others a constant skir- 

 mishing was going on. The wasp stroked the young hoppers, 

 and sipped up the honey when it was exuded, just like the ants. 

 When an ant came up to a cluster of leaf-hoppers attended by 

 a wasp, the latter would not attempt to grapple with its rival on 

 the leaf, but would fly off and hover over the ant; then when 

 its little foe was well exposed, it would dart at it, and strike it 

 to the ground. The action was so quick that I could not deter- 

 mine whether it struck with its fore-feet or its jaws; but I think 

 it was with the feet. I often saw a wasp trying to clear a leaf 

 from ants that were already in full possession of a cluster of 

 leaf-hoppers. It would sometimes have to strike three or four 

 times at an ant before it made it quit its hold and fall. At 

 other times one ant after the other would be struck off with 

 great celerity and ease, and I fancied that some wasps were 

 much cleverer than othei"S. In those cases where it succeeded 

 in clearing the leaf, it was never left long in peace; for fresh 

 relays of ants were continually arriving, and generally tired 

 the wasp out. It would never wait for an ant to get near it, 

 doubtless knowing well that if its little rival once fastened on 

 its leg it would be a difficult matter to get rid of it again. If 

 a wasp first obtained possession, it was able to keep it, for the 

 first ants that came up were only pioneers, and by knocking 



