THE SPIDER BA VISITERS. 129 



SO that the elaborate hiding of the nest from above cannot be 

 meant as a protection against them. 



Pompilus quinquenotatus has a decided preference as to the 

 spider that she takes. While Pelopaeus and Trypoxylon are en- 

 tirly indifferent both as to size and species, and the more nearly 

 related Pompilus marginatus takes ThomisMS, Drassus, At- 

 tus, Agalena or Lycosa, this more fastidious wa^p will not be 

 tempted from the spider of her choice. In more than fifty ex- 

 amples the victim in the play was invariably Epeira strix. If 

 she must confine herself to one species she has made a fortunate 

 selection, since there is no other spider so common in our neigh- 

 borhood, not only in the woods, but around the bams, and out- 

 buildings. Most frequently it was the female that was taken, 

 but tliis does not imply a preference for that sex, since the fe- 

 males are more abundant than the males. We have never seen 

 the spider captured and do not know where the sting is given, 

 but certainly this wasp woimds her prey very severely. The 

 epiders that we took from her were either dead or so completely 

 paralyzed that it required gTeat care and the use of a magni- 

 fying glass to determine that they were alive. 



The next stage of her proceedings we are familiar with, as 

 we have frequently seen the wasp carry the spider. Unlike 

 her sister, marginatus, she usually flies with it, and seems not 

 at all encumbered by its weight. In many cases, however, she 

 drags it, holding it by one leg and running rapidly backward. 



A suitable place for the nest being found the spider is very 

 prettily taken care of while the work is in progress. A plant, 

 ■usually a bean or a sorrel, is chosen, and the strijp is hung in 

 the crotch of a branching stem, where it will be safe from the 

 <iepredations of ants. (Plate X., fig. 8.) This precaution is 

 not always taken. We have many times seen the spider left 

 on the ground, although there were plenty of plants at hand. 



The next point is to decide upon the precise spot for the nest, 

 and here our wasp shows herself very uncertain and hard to 

 please. Xever have we seen one settle down and complete her 

 work in the spot first chosen. She dashes at a place and 



