More Hunting Wasps 



two drawbacks: I should be compromising 

 the lingering vitality which saves the insect 

 that is being devoured from going bad and, 

 at the same time, I should be disturbing the 

 delicate art of the devouring insect, which, 

 if removed from the lode which it was work- 

 ing, would no longer be able to recover it 

 or to distinguish between the lawful and the 

 unlawful morsels. The larva of the Scolia, 

 consuming its Cetonia-grub, has taught us all 

 that we want to know on this subject in my 

 earlier volume.^ The only acceptable larvae 

 are those supplied with a heap of small in- 

 sects, which are attacked without any spe- 

 cial art, dismembered at random and eaten 

 up quickly. Among these I have tested such 

 as chance threw in my way: those of various 

 Bembeces, all fed on Flies; those of the Pa- 

 larus, whose bill of fare consists of a very 

 large assortment of Hymenoptera; those of 

 the Tarsal Tachytes, supplied with young 

 Locusts; those of the Nest-building Odyne- 

 rus, furnished with Chrysomela-grubs; those 

 of the Sand Cerceris, endowed with a pinch 

 of Weevils. A goodly variety, as you see, 

 of consumers and consumed. Well, to all of 



1 Chapters II. to V. of the present volume contain the 

 whole of the matter referred to above. — Translator's Note. 

 274 



