BEHAVIOR OF POMPILID WASPS 63 



dug up after two days, was alive, as was shown by the 

 quivering of the legs; four days later this quivering was 

 scarcely perceptible, and it died two days after. They also 

 mention one instance where the spider was stung to death. 



The one characteristic that is constant for both Hart- 

 man's and Peckhams' wasps is their method of concealment 

 of their prey in among the blossoms, under a lump of earth, 

 or on a leaf high above the earth, while the nest is being 

 dug, and the habit of visiting it at short intervals while the 

 work is in progress. 



One interesting record of the Peckhams 5 we beg leave 

 to quote, since it seems as though practical judgment or some 

 other intellectual faculty must have been involved. 



The spider was hidden, and then began the usual hunting 

 performance, which soon resulted in the discovery of a cav- 

 ity which had a very small opening. The wasp crept in, re- 

 mained a minute and then came out and brought this spider 

 to its new hiding-place. The head went in easily, but it 

 took a great deal of tugging to get the rest to follow. At 

 last both spider and wasp were out of sight, and everything 

 remained quiet for a long time. When the wasp came 

 creeping out, she went on an extended tour. She doubtless 

 selected another halting-place, for when she returned it 

 was to try to get the spider out of the hole by pulling at 

 one of the hind legs. The task, however, was not an easy 

 one; she exerted all her strength so that they expected to 

 see the spider torn to pieces, but still it did not come. At 

 last she seemed to realize that there was more than one way 

 to accomplish her end, and turned her attention to cutting 

 away the earth to make the opening larger. After a few 

 minutes' work she tried again and although the passage 

 was still much too small for convenience the spider was at 

 length dragged forth. 



5 Loc cit. p. 150, 



