The Tachytes 



chance affords me. A subterranean excur- 

 sion would not attract the Wasp if it had no 

 object. And its object is certainly the 

 search for some sort of game for her larvae. 

 The inference becomes inevitable: the Ana- 

 thema Tachytes, who explores the Mole- 

 cricket's galleries, gives her larvae this same 

 Mole-cricket as their food. Very probably 

 the specimen selected is a young one, for the 

 adult insect would be too big. Besides, to 

 this consideration of quantity is added that 

 of quality. Young and tender flesh is highly 

 appreciated, as witness the Tarsal Tachytes, 

 the Black Tachytes and the Mantis-killing 

 Tachytes, who all three select game that is 

 not yet made tough by age. ' It goes without 

 saying that the moment the Iiuntress emerged 

 from the ground I proceeded to dig up the 

 track. The Mole-cricket was no longer 

 there. The Tachytes had come too late; 

 and so had I. 



Well, how right was I to define the Tach- 

 ytes as a Locust lover! What constancy 

 in the gastronomic rules of the race! And 

 what tact in varying the game, while keeping 

 within the order of the Orthoptera ! What 

 have the Locust, the Cricket, the Praying 

 Mantis and the Mole-cricket in common, as 

 regards their general appearance? Why, 

 139 



