The Nest-building Odynerus 



find it difficult to distinguish the odour of 

 this liquid, because the strip of paper on 

 which 1 collect it is always infected by the 

 creature's mere touch. Nevertheless I 

 seem to recognize, in a fainter degree, the 

 smell of nitrobenzene. Can there be any 

 connection between the product of the dorsal 

 flask and that of the intestinal pimple? 

 There very well may be. I suspect, also, 

 that it possesses special virtues, for the 

 Odynerus, who is a fine judge in such mat- 

 ters, will tell us presently how greatly she 

 appreciates this liquid. 



Before taking the evidence of the hunt- 

 ress, let us note that the grub employs its 

 anal pimple to move along with. Too 

 short in the legs, it is a sort of cripple using 

 its inflated stern as a lever. Another fact, 

 whose interest will appear at the proper 

 time, is that, at the moment of the meta- 

 morphosis, the larva fastens itself by the 

 anus to a poplar-leaf. The larval skin is 

 pushed back while it remains clinging; and 

 the nymph appears half-sheathed in this 

 slough. The nymph in its turn splits; the 

 perfect insect releases itself; and the two 

 cast-off suits of clothes, one partly enclosed 

 within the other, retain their place on the 

 leaf, fastened to it by the anal extremity. 



197 



