The Mason-Wasps 



ert, save for a slight quivering of the legs, 

 which soon ceases. When laid upon its 

 back, the larva no longer stirs. It is not 

 dead, however; that I have been able to 

 prove. Its dull vitality is affirmed in an- 

 other manner. During the first few days 

 of this lethargy which knows no awakening, 

 droppings are ejected until the intestine is 

 empty. 



On renewing my experiments, I witness 

 something so singular that I am at first 

 baffled. This time the prey is seized by the 

 anal extremity and the sting is driven sev- 

 eral times into the last segments, under- 

 neath the abdomen. This is the usual op- 

 eration reversed and performed upon the 

 hinder segments, instead of those of the 

 thorax. The surgeon and the patient, who 

 are head to head in the normal method, are 

 in the present instance head to tail. Can it 

 be by inadvertence that the operator is con- 

 fusing the two ends of the grub and sting- 

 ing the tip of the abdomen under the im- 

 pression that she is stinging the neck? I 

 believe it for a moment, but am soon unde- 

 ceived. Instinct does not make mistakes of 

 this sort. 



For now, having finished thrusting with 

 her sting, the Odynerus clasps the creature 



212 



