2,6 Hardy, The Stinging of G. coarctata by D. hicolor. [^'"i;,,^^*- 



traversing the same ground many times during one survey 

 both instinct and intelligence seemed lacking, unless it is to be 

 admitted that the searching over ground already traversed 

 was justified in view of the fact that after a similar unmethodical 

 search of a quadrant only she had succeeded, and was now- 

 repeating the process ; the two instances, therefore, being some- 

 what differently conditioned. The cricket was then restored 

 to her. 



Having allowed the pair to reach the burrow, which was of 

 diameter large enough to permit the passage of the cricket's 

 body, but larger than was necessary for the owner, and when 

 they had almost disappeared (the wasp backing down first), 

 I retrieved the cricket with my forceps and placed it nine 

 inches away, near the old track. Diamma worked back to 

 the scene of her last two searchings, frequently returning to the 

 burrow, entering and re-appearing almost immediately. Next 

 I stopped up the entrance to the burrow, and scattered a little 

 loose soil about. When the owner returned she experienced 

 some difftculty in locating the spot, but at last succeeding, 

 quickly re-excavated, and, after a rapid examination of the 

 surrounding space within a radius of a few inches, resumed 

 the search. The cricket was now placed close to the burrow, 

 where she soon found it, and, seizing first a palpus and next 

 an antenna, renewed hauling operations. This time I inter- 

 fered by holding with forceps a hind leg of the captive, and 

 resisted the wasp's efforts, and then gently drew her prize 

 away. Diamma redoubled her efforts for a few seconds, then, 

 hastily climbing on to the body, took up a position as before, 

 and, obtaining a good grip with her jaws, searched with the tip 

 of her abdomen and stung as before in the same place. This 

 time she seemed really angry, and inserted her sting in two other 

 places, a little to one side, the first insertion of this series being 

 like that which I first saw administered — in the median longi- 

 tudinal line. The points appeared to be carefully selected, the 

 insertions lasting about three and the intervals about two 

 seconds. Gryllotalpa had been still and limp, but this violent 

 attack set up a rapid trembling, of short duration, of the middle 

 leg on the side remote from that recently stung, and the antennae 

 were still, which agrees partly with the Peckhams' account oi 

 a grasshopper stung by another species of wasp. 



During her last search, and previous to this stinging, the 

 wasp had behaved as before in frequently stopping to stroke 

 towards its extremity her down-curved abdomen. Alternative 

 suggestions are here offered to account for this — (i) During her 

 activities the wasp had a secretion of poison continuing, 

 perhaps to be in readiness for a new victim, and this was acceler- 

 ated by anger, and caused irritation which she endeavoured 



