The Bee-eating Philanthus 



which will shrivel where it lies and be dis- 

 sected by the Ants. If, on the other hand, 

 she wants to stow away the Bee as a provi- 

 sion for her larvae, she clasps her in her two 

 intermediate legs and, walking on the other 

 four, goes round and round the edge of the 

 bell-glass, seeking for an outlet through 

 which to fly off with her prey. When she 

 recognizes the circular track as impossible, 

 she climbs up the sides, this time holding the 

 Bee by the antennae with her mandibles and 

 clinging to the polished and perpendicular 

 surface with her six feet. She reaches the 

 top of the glass, stays for a little while in 

 the hollow of the knob at the top, returns to 

 the ground, resumes her circling and her 

 climbing and does not decide to relinquish 

 her Bee until she has stubbornly attempted 

 every means of escape. This persistence on 

 her part to retain her hold on the cumbrous 

 burden tells us pretty plainly that the game 

 would go straight to the cells if the Philan- 

 thus had her liberty. 



Well, these Bees intended for the larvae are 

 stung under the chin like the others ; they are 

 real corpses ; they are manipulated, squeezed, 

 drained of their honey exactly as the others 

 are. In all these respects, there is no differ- 

 ence between the hunt conducted to provide 

 265 



