The Mason-Wasps 



member of the Fly clan, provided that the 

 prey be not disproportionate to the hunt- 

 ress' strength. We should be wrong, how- 

 ever, to erect this indifference into too ab- 

 solute a principle : there is reason to believe 

 that the Pelopseus recognizes different quali- 

 ties of nourishment and flavour between one 

 Spider and another. A more fastidious ex- 

 pert than Lalande, 1 with his legendary pas- 

 sion for plump, nutty Spiders, she must rate 

 this species more highly than that; and 

 there are some which she must absolutely 

 despise. These include the House Spider 

 (Tegenaria domestica) , who weaves her cob- 

 webs in the corners of our houses. 



On the kitchen-ceiling and on the rafters 

 of the granary this Spider is her near neigh- 

 bour: the silken lair stretches in close 

 proximity to the earthen nest. Instead of 

 expeditions in the neighbourhood, a little 

 patrolling of the actual premises where she 

 has settled down would provide the Pe- 

 lopaeus with abundant sport, for there is 

 game swarming at her very door. Why 



1 Joseph Jerome Le Francois de Lalande (1732-1807), 

 the astronomer. Even after he had achieved his reputa- 

 tion, he sought means, outside the domain of science, to 

 make himself talked about and found these in the display 

 partly of odd tastes, such as that for eating Spiders and 

 caterpillars, and partly of atheistical opinions. — Trans- 

 lator's Note. 



92 



