More Hunting Wasps 



burrow. I take the field with an equipment 

 which I am carrying across the country for 

 the first time: a glass bell-jar, a wire-gauze 

 cover and the various implements needed for 

 handling and transferring my irascible and 

 dangerous subjects. My search for burrows 

 among the pebbles and the tufts of thyme 

 and lavender is soon successful. 



Here is a splendid one. I learn by 

 inserting a straw that It is inhabited by a 

 Tarantula of a size suited to my plans. The 

 soil around the aperture is cleared and flat- 

 tened to receive the wire-gauze, under which 

 I place a Pompllus. This is the time to 

 light a pipe and wait, lying on the pebbles. 

 . . . Yet another disappointment. Half an 

 hour goes by; and the Wasp confines herself 

 to travelling round and round the netting as 

 she did in my study. She gives no sign of 

 greed when confronted with the burrow, 

 though I can see the Tarantula's diamond 

 eyes glittering at the bottom. 



The trellised wall is replaced by the glass 

 wall, which, since it does not allow her to 

 scale Its heights, will oblige the Wasp to 

 remain on the ground and at last to take 

 cognizance of the shaft, which she seems to 

 ignore. This time we have done the trick! 



After a few circuits of her cage, the Cali- 

 330 



