TRANSMUTABLE. 173 



signs of pain, but quickly recovers, and feeds as 

 usual. The egg deposited with unerring instinct, 

 in due time produces a larva, which feeds upon 

 that part of the caterpillar not immediately ne- 

 cessary to its life. When the ichneumon larva 

 is full-fed, the caterpillar forms its pupa, but the 

 resulting fly is an ichneumon, not a moth. The 

 species, however, under consideration, the Sphex 

 sabulosus, adopts a different method, and one 

 still more characteristic of the peculiar instinct 

 of the species. It first digs a hole in a dry 

 bank a day before, or sometimes on the same 

 day, on which it requires it. It then lays a stone, 

 and two or three clods of earth, over the hole, 

 and starts oft" for a caterpillar, which it has pre- 

 viously rendered insensible, but not killed. It 

 will carry this caterpillar ten or even twenty 

 yards. Taking hold of it by one end, half the 

 caterpillar will project in front of the Sphex* s 

 head, and the other is pressed against its body, 

 and so held as to allow the use of the insect's 

 legs. When it arrives at the hole it will quietly 

 lay down its burden, and remove the stone and 

 clods of earth. It then drags the caterpillar into 

 it, going in first itself, and then it deposits in its 

 side not an egg, but a larva with a barbed 

 mouth, which is plunged into the flesh of the 

 caterpillar, and of course, from the nature of the 

 barb, the mouth cannot be withdrawn. The Sphere 

 now fills up the hole with small particles of earth, 

 generally placing a small stone or part of an 

 oyster shell over the top. The parasite thus left 



