More Hunting Wasps 



In addition to this, the contractible power In 

 Its sturdy muscular organism must be sup- 

 pressed. 



In its normal state, this larva, at the very 

 least disturbance, curls itself up, almost as 

 the Hedgehog does; and the two halves of 

 the ventral surface are laid one against the 

 other. You are quite surprised at the 

 strength which the creature displays In keep- 

 ing itself thus contracted. If you try to un- 

 roll it, your fingers encounter a resistance far 

 greater than the size of the animal would 

 have caused you to suspect. To overcome 

 the resistance of this sort of spring coiled 

 upon Itself, you have to force it, so much 

 so that you are afraid. If you persist, of see- 

 ing the Indomitable spiral suddenly burst 

 and shoot forth Its entrails. 



A similar muscular energy Is found In the 

 larvae of the Oryctes,^ the Anoxia,^ the Cock- 

 chafer. Weighed down by a heavy belly 

 and living underground, where they feed 

 either on leaf-mould or on roots, these larvae 

 all possess the vigorous constitution needed 

 to drag their corpulence through a resisting 

 medium. All of them also roll themselves 



1 Also known as the Rhinoceros Beetle. — Translator's 

 Note. 



2 A Beetle akin to the Cockchafer. — Translator's Note. 



88 



