A Dangerous Diet 



hole made in the middle of the belly. From 

 now onwards, these remains may rot if they 

 will: the Scolia, by its methodical fashion of 

 consuming its victuals, has succeeded in keep- 

 ing them fresh to the very last ; and now you 

 may see it, replete, shining with health, with- 

 draw its long neck from the bag of skin and 

 prepare to weave the cocoon in which its 

 development will be completed. 



It is possible that I may not be quite ac- 

 curate as to the precise order in which the 

 organs are consumed, for it is not easy to 

 perceive what happens inside the exploited 

 larva's body. The ruHng feature in this 

 scientific method of eating, which proceeds 

 from the parts less to the parts more neces- 

 sary to preserve a remnant of life, is none the 

 less obvious. If direct observation did not 

 already to some degree confirm it, a mere ex- 

 amination of the half-eaten larva would do 

 so in the most positive fashion. 



The Cetonia-larva is at first a plump grub. 

 Drained by the Scolia's tooth, it gradually 

 becomes limp and wrinkled. In a few days' 

 time it resembles a shrivelled bit of bacon- 

 fat and then a bag whose two sides have 

 fallen in. Yet this bit of bacon and this 

 bag have the same characteristic look of 

 fresh meat as had the grub before it was 

 59 



