WASPS 211 



hungry for the juice, but apparently afraid to 

 begin feeding on it ; they were standing round in 

 a compact crowd, the hindmost pressing on and 

 crowding over the others : but still, despite the 

 pressure, the foremost row of flies refused to 

 advance beyond the rim of the eaten-out part. 

 From time to time one of a more venturesome 

 spirit would put out his proboscis and begin 

 sucking at the edge ; the slight tentative move- 

 ment would instantly be detected by a wasp, and 

 he would turn quickly round to face the presump- 

 tuous fly, lifting his wings in a threatening manner, 

 and the fly would take his proboscis off the rim of 

 the cup. Occasionally hunger would overcome 

 their fear ; a general movement of the flies would 

 take place, and several would begin sucking at the 

 same time ; then the wasp, seeming to think that 

 more than a mere menacing look or gesture was 

 required in such a case, would start up with an 

 angry buzz, and away the whole crowd of flies 

 would go to whirl round and round in a little blue 

 cloud with a loud, excited hum, only to settle 

 again in a few moments on the big yellow pear 

 and begin crowding round the pit as before. 



Never once during the time I spent observing 

 them did the guardian wasp relax his vigilance. 

 When he put his head down to suck with the others 

 his eyes still appeared able to reflect every move- 

 ment in the surrounding crowd of flies into his 

 little spiteful brain. They could crawl round and 

 crawl round as much as they liked on the very 



