A Dig at the Evolutionists 



which was casually condensed. Let us not 

 go back as far as that; let us not plunge into 

 the fogs where illusion and error too easily 

 find a lurking-place. Let us consider a sub- 

 ject with exact limits to it; this is the only 

 way to understand one another. 



The Sphegidae are descended from a single 

 type, which itself was already a highly-de- 

 veloped descendant and, like its successors, 

 fed its family on prey. The close similarity 

 in form, in colouring and, above all, in ha- 

 bits seem to refer the Tachytes to the same 

 origin. This is ample; let us be satisfied 

 with it. And now please tell me, what did 

 this prototype of the Sphegidae hunt? Was 

 its diet varied or uniform? If we cannot 

 decide, let us examine the two cases. 



The diet was varied. I heartily congratu- 

 late the first born of the Sphex-wasps. She 

 enjoyed the most favourable conditions for 

 leaving a prosperous offspring. Accommo- 

 dating herself to any kind of prey not dis- 

 proportionate to her strength, she avoided 

 the dearth of a given species of game at this 

 or that time and in this or that place; she 

 always found the wherewithal to endow her 

 family magnificently, they being, for that 

 matter, fairly indifferent to the nature of the 

 victuals, provided that these consisted of 

 209 



