THE SPIDER-HUNTERS 



conduct was the result of an indecision of character 

 which made it extremely difficult for her to choose a 

 place and be contented with it. The last part of this 

 judgment holds true, even now when we know her whole 

 history, but we have at last learned that she does dig 

 her own nest. 



We had watched a wasp for some time as she car- 

 ried her spider from place to place, and finally saw 

 her take it into a crevice among some rough lumps of 

 earth which she had previously examined. We ex- 

 pected one of the long spells of eventless waiting to 

 which she had accustomed us, but on lying down and 

 peering into the hole we found that there was an open- 

 ing on the further side, for a ray of light feebly penetrated 

 the interior. Moving about in this dim illumination 

 was our wasp, and after a little, we could see, quite 

 distinctly, that she was digging a hole. This then is 

 her method — to find some sheltered hiding-place 

 where she may secretly make her nest, that no creature 

 may know where her treasure is hidden. 



We have twice seen a marginatus pick up her spider 

 and fly with it backward for a long distance — as much 

 as four or five feet. This recalls the wasp which is said 

 to fly backward before a moving horse and catch the 

 flies that are hovering over it. 



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