The Method of the Ammophilae 



and again my speculators were not encour- 

 aged by some success. At the moment when 

 urgent necessity is sending up prices, one of 

 them brings me a magnificent Gad-fly in- 

 tended for the Bembex. For two hours, 

 when the sun was at its height, he kept 

 watch on the threshing-floor hard by, wait- 

 ing for the blood-sucker, in order to catch 

 him on the buttocks of the Mules which trot 

 round and round trampling the corn. This 

 gallant fellow shall have his gros sou and a 

 sHce of bread and jam as well. A second, 

 no less fortunate, has found a fat Spider, the 

 Epeira, for whom my Pompili are waiting. 

 To the two sous of this fortunate youth I 

 add a little picture for his missal. Thus 

 are my purveyors kept going; and, after all, 

 their help would be very inadequate if I did 

 not take upon myself the main burden of 

 these wearisome quests. 



Once in possession of the requisite prey, 

 I transfer the huntress from my warehouse, 

 the wire-gauze cage, to a bell-glass varying 

 in capacity from one to three or four litres,^ 

 according to the size and habits of the com- 

 batants; I place the victim in the arena; I 

 expose the bell-glass to the direct rays of the 



1 1^ to 5 or 7 pints. — Translator's Note. 



293 



