The Odyneri 



in the store-room of his, discovered a batch 

 of ten to twelve. Mine requires twice as 

 many, a couple of dozen, which may be due 

 to the smaller size of the game. No 

 predatory Wasp of my acquaintance, apart 

 from the Bembeces,^ who obtain their sup- 

 plies from day to day, approaches this 

 prodigality in numbers. Two dozen grub- 

 worms to make a meal for only one ! How 

 far removed are we from the single cater- 

 pillar of the Hairy Ammophila I And 

 what delicate precautions must be taken for 

 the safety of the egg in the midst of such a 

 crowd! A scrupulous vigilance is neces- 

 sary here, if we would obtain a true con- 

 ception of the dangers to which the 

 Odynerus' egg is exposed and of the means 

 that save it from danger. 



And, in the first place, what variety of 

 game is this? It consists of worms as thick 

 as a knitting-needle and varying slightly in 

 length. The biggest measure a centi- 

 metre.^ The head is small, of an intense, 

 glossy black. The segments, unlike those 

 of the caterpillars, have no legs, either true 

 or false, but all, without exception, are 

 furnished with ambulatory organs in the 



1 For the Bembex cf. The Hunting fVasps: chaps, xiv. 

 to xvi. — Translator's Note. 

 2 .39 inch. — Translator's Note. 

 43 



