Advanced Theories 



prepares the mash in the actual hunting-field, 

 that is to say, she crushes the Bee between 

 her mandibles after removing the wings, the 

 legs and at times the abdomen as well. 



Here then, in all its details, is the incident 

 observed by Darwin. A Wasp {Vespa vul- 

 garis) catches a big Fly {Eris talis tenax) ; 

 she cuts off the victim's head, wings, abdomen 

 and legs with her mandibles and keeps only 

 the thorax, which she carries off flying.^ But 

 here there is not the least breath of wind to 

 explain the carving-process; besides, the thing 

 happens in a perfect sheker, in the thick 

 tangle of the grass. The butcher rejects such 

 parts of her prey as she considers valueless to 

 her larvae ; and that is all about it. 



In short, the heroine of Darwin's story is 

 certainly a Wasp. Then what becomes of 

 that rational calculation on the part of the 

 insect which, the better to contend with the 

 wind, cuts off its prey's abdomen, head and 

 wings and keeps only the thorax? It be- 

 comes a most simple incident, leading to none 

 of the mighty consequences which the writer 

 seeks to deduce from it : the very trivial inci- 

 dent of a Wasp who begins to carve up he;* 

 prey on the spot and keeps only the stump, 

 the one part which she considers fit for her 

 137 



