68 WASP STUDIES AFIELD 



head, probably five times as heavy as herself, and was walk- 

 ing backwards, dragging it over sticks and stones, green 

 and dried grass, up logs and down. 



After four minutes the wasp stopped dragging the spider, 

 and for five minutes she rested and cleaned her antennae, 

 body and legs. Twice during this interval she left her spider 

 and went under a leaf near by, but each time she returned 

 to keep watch again in front of its prostrate form, while 

 she made her toilet. But we were mistaken in thinking 

 that her burrow was under this leaf ; for at 1 129 she grabbed 

 her property and continued her journey, in the same manner 

 as before, for six minutes. Twice she left the spider, 

 walked about in circles with the same nervous, jerky gait, 

 but in a moment she seized it and hurried on again, mak- 

 ing good time over a bit of smooth road which chanced 

 to be in her way. She certainly seemed not to trouble her- 

 self to find a smooth way. One of the spider's legs was 

 seen to quiver several times. 



At i 135 the wasp enjoyed a perfect rest near her prey, 

 for a half-minute. The spider's second right leg still quiv- 

 ered occasionally; but the wasp was not perturbed by it, but 

 calmly rubbed herself down. She cleaned her abdomen 

 with her hind legs and her antennae and head with the fore- 

 legs. For nine minutes she loitered about, making her toilet 

 most of the time, and occasionally moving her position for 

 a few inches, sometimes behind, or to the right or left of 

 her spider, but always near enough to keep a watchful eye 

 upon it. 



The spider's right leg gave a more marked twitch. The 

 wasp darted at once to her position at the right of the 

 spider's head. At i 144 she left it and went under a dried 

 leaf, as if reconnoitering. After a few seconds she came 

 out and dragged her prey under the leaf with her, the 

 legs of the spider protruding. We followed eagerly but 



