The Pompili 



an awning stretched amid the stubble, a tent 

 modelled upon the Arab's, a sheath formed 

 of a few leaves bound together, or a net 

 with a guard-room attached, whenever the 

 owner is indoors the suspicious Pompilus 

 holds aloof. When the dwelling is vacant, 

 it is another matter: the Wasp moves with 

 arrogant ease over those webs, springes and 

 cables in which so many other insects would 

 remain ensnared. The silken threads do not 

 seem to have any hold upon her. What is 

 she doing, exploring those empty webs? 

 She is watching to see what is happening on 

 the adjacent webs where the Spider is am- 

 bushed. The Pompilus therefore feels an 

 insuperable reluctance to make straight for 

 the Spider when the latter is at home in the 

 midst of her snares. And she is right, a 

 hundred times over. If the Tarantula un- 

 derstands the practice of the dagger-thrust 

 in the neck, which is immediately fatal, the 

 other cannot be unacquainted with it. Woe 

 then to the imprudent Wasp who presents 

 herself upon the threshold of a Spider of 

 approximately equal strength! 



Of the various instances which I have col- 

 lected of this cautious reserve on the Spider- 

 huntress' part I will confine myself to the 

 following, which will be sufficient to prove 



9 



