The Mason-Wasps 



have come; the larva is sturdy enough not 

 to dread the movements of the caterpillars' 

 bodies. Besides, the caterpillars, mortified 

 by fasting and weakened by a prolonged 

 torpor, become more and more incapable of 

 defence. The perils of the tender babe are 

 succeeded by the security of the lusty strip- 

 ling; and the grub, henceforth scorning its 

 sheathed lift, lets itself drop upon the game 

 that remains. And thus the banquet ends 

 in normal fashion. 



That is what I saw in the nests of both 

 species of Eumenes, that is what I showed 

 to friends who were even more surprised 

 than I by these ingenious tactics. The egg 

 hanging from the ceiling, at a distance from 

 the provisions, has naught to fear from the 

 caterpillars, which flounder about below. 

 The newly-hatched worm, whose suspen- 

 sion-cord is lengthened by the sheath of the 

 egg, reaches the game and takes a first cau- 

 tious bite at it. If there be danger, it climbs 

 back to the ceiling by retreating inside the 

 scabbard. This explains the failure of my 

 earlier attempts. Not knowing of the 

 safety-thread, so slender and so easily 

 broken, I gathered at one time the egg, at 

 another the young larva, after my inroads 

 at the top had caused them to fall into the 

 26 



