AMMOPHILA AND HER CATERPILLARS 



gain a hold. The caterpillar, in its struggles, flung itself 

 here and there over the ground, and had there been any 

 grass or other covering near by it might have reached a 

 place of partial safety; but there was no shelter within 

 reach, and at the fifth attack the wasp succeeded in 

 alighting over it, near the anterior end, and in grasping 

 its body firmly in her mandibles. Standing high on her 

 long legs and disregarding the continued struggles of her 

 victim, she lifted it from the ground, curved the end of 

 her abdomen under its body, and darted her sting be- 

 tween the third and fourth segments. From this instant 

 there was a complete cessation of movement on the part 

 of the unfortunate caterpillar. Limp and helpless, it 

 could offer no further opposition to the will of its con- 

 queror. For some moments the wasp remained motion- 

 less, and then, withdrawing her sting, she plunged it 

 successively between the third and the second, and 

 between the second and the first segments. 



The caterpillar was now left lying on the ground. For 

 a moment the wasp circled above it, and then, descend- 

 ing, seized it again, further back this time, and with 

 great deliberation and nicety of action gave it four more 

 stings, beginning between the ninth and tenth segments 

 and progressing backward. 



Urnaria, probably feeling — as we certainly did — a 



25 



