More Hunting Wasps 



knows that there is no one in, for, had the 

 Segestria been there, she would by this time 

 have appeared on the threshold. The fact 

 that the householder does not show herself 

 at the first vibration of the neighbouring 

 threads is a certain proof that the tube is 

 vacant; and the Pompilus enters in full se- 

 curity. I would recommend future observers 

 not to take the present investigations for 

 hunting-tactics. I have already remarked 

 and I repeat : the Pompilus never enters the 

 silken ambush while the Spider is there. 



Among the funnels inspected one appears 

 to suit her better than the others ; she returns 

 to it frequently in the course of her investi- 

 gations, which last for nearly an hour. 

 From time to time she hastens back to the 

 Spider lying on the ground; she examines 

 her, tugs at her, drags her a little closer to 

 the wall, then leaves her the better to recon- 

 noitre the tunnel which is the object of her 

 preference. Lastly she returns to the Se- 

 gestria and takes her by the tip of the ab- 

 domen. The quarry is so heavy that she 

 has great difficulty in moving it along the 

 level ground. Two inches divide it from 

 the wall. She gets to the wall, not without 

 effort; nevertheless, once the wall is reached, 

 the job is quickly done. We learn that 

 26 



