The Bee-eating Philanthus 



turns to right and left and follows the evo- 

 lutions of the Bees against the glass. The 

 miscreant's posture now becomes a striking 

 piece of acting: you can read in it the fierce 

 longings of the creature lying in ambush, the 

 crafty waiting for the moment to commit 

 the crime. The choice is made: the Philan- 

 thus pounces on her prey. 



Turn by turn tumbling over and tumbled, 

 the two insects roll upon the ground. The 

 tumult soon abates; and the murderess pre- 

 pares to strangle her capture. I see her 

 adopt two methods. In the first, which is 

 more usual than the other, the Bee is lying 

 on her back; and the Philanthus, belly to 

 belly with her, grips her with her six legs 

 while snapping at her neck with her mandi- 

 bles. The abdomen is now curved forward 

 from behind, along the prostrate victim, feels 

 with its tip, gropes about a little and ends 

 by reaching the under part of the neck. 

 The sting enters, lingers for a moment in 

 the wound; and all is over. Without re- 

 leasing her prey, which is still tightly clasped, 

 the murderess restores her abdomen to its 

 normal position and keeps it pressed against 

 the Bee's. 



In the second method, the Philanthus op- 

 erates standing. Resting on her hind-legs 



2-17 



