The Bee-eating Philanthus 



weapon can slip by accident; and so the 

 operation is conducted with absolute surgical 

 safety, notwithstanding the indignant pro- 

 tests of the patient. 



After the fatal stroke has been adminis- 

 tered, the murderess remains for a long time 

 belly to belly with the dead, for reasons 

 which we shall shortly perceive. There may 

 now be some danger for the Philanthus. 

 The attitude of attack and defence is aban- 

 doned; and the ventral surface, more vulner- 

 able than the other, is within reach of the 

 sting. Now the deceased still retains the 

 reflex use of her weapon for a few minutes, 

 as I learnt to my cost. Having taken the 

 Bee too early from the bandit and handling 

 her without suspecting any risk, I received 

 a. most downright sting. Then how does the 

 Philanthus, in her long contact with the but- 

 chered Bee, manage to protect herself against 

 that lancet, which is bent upon avenging the 

 murder? Is there any chance of a commu- 

 tation of the death-penalty? Can an acci- 

 dent ever happen in the Bee's favour? Per- 

 haps. 



One incident strengthens my faith in this 



perhaps. I had placed four Bees and as 



many Eristales under the bell-glass at the 



same time, with the object of estimating the 



255 



