172 THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



ing out witli it in ber mandibles, and not using ber legs at alL 

 Tben sbe went back to, ber locust, wbicb, in tbe meantime, bad. 

 been jerking its legs up and down and sbowing plainly tbat it 

 was not in a state of suspended animation. Sbe caugbt it by 

 one antenna, straddled it witb ber long legs, and ran along 

 briskly, very mucb like an Ammophila until sbe bad reacbed 

 tbe open space between tbe rows of plants in wbicb ber nest was- 

 situated, but bere, at a distance of about tbree feet from tbe 

 nest itself, sbe dropped it, and walked deliberately away, past 

 tbe nest and considerably beyond it. Now again sbe flattened 

 berself out close to tbe ground, and remained in tbat attitude 

 for five minutes. Wbetber because sbe was not quite reader 

 to lay tbe egg, or for some otber reason, it was evident tbat sbe* 

 was in no buny. At last, bowever, sbe approacbed tbe locust 

 again. Just before sbe reacbed it, it gave a jump as if in nor- 

 mal bealtb, but did not attempt to fly. We certainly ex- 

 pected tbat sbe would sting it again, but no, sbe straddled it 

 as before, bolding it at tbe base of tbe antennas, and carried it 

 to tbe nest. Here it was dropped wbile sbe ran in for a mo- 

 ment, came out, and tben backed in again, caugbt it, still by 

 tbe base of tbe antennae, and dragged it out of sigbt. Wben,, 

 after a few minutes, sbe came out, we caugbt ber and put ber 

 under a glass witb anotber locust, but sbe would not toucb it. 



Tbe nest was not excavated until two days later, exactly 

 forty-eigbt bours from tbe time tbe egg was laid. It ran in 

 obliquely for two incbes, and bad no pocket. Tbe locust bad 

 been pulled in bead first witb its long tbird legs stretcbed out 

 bebind, and tbe eartb bad been pressed in around it so closely 

 tbat it could not move. As soon as we began to remove tbe 

 eartb we were conscious of a violent kicking down in tbe dirt. 

 Tbe position of tbe bead was indicated by a long antenna wbicb 

 stuck up tbrougb tbe covering. As tbe eartb was gently pusbed 

 away the egg was revealed. It Avas fastened to tbe upper side 

 of tbe body (tbe locust lay on its rigbt side) in tbe skin just 

 above the tbird leg, so tbat tbe long curved free end extended 

 over the thigh. As soon as the locust was uncovered it jumped 



