BEHAVIOR OF POMPILID WASPS 71 



she found the spider, and thus save herself the labor of 

 dragging such a load for three hundred feet over rough 

 roads, or at least choose one of the many which she passed 

 by in the burnt area. 



After following this wasp mother through the details of 

 her prolonged trials and difficulties, we respect her for her 

 faithfulness and pluck in continuing her heavy task to the 

 end. And yet we have a lurking feeling (which we regret 

 to express) that this type of faithfulness may have been 

 an exhibit more of brawn than of brain. However, we 

 must not judge the species by this one' female which may 

 have been very individualistic in her behavior; perhaps her 

 sisters would have shown as fine instinct and economy as 

 is found in any of the other species. 



Priocnemis pompilus 7 Cress. [S. A. Rohwer]. 



Verily, if boils were sent to try the patience of Job, then 

 Priocnemis pompilus must have been created to try the 

 patience of naturalists. One sees an animated little black 

 wasp darting nervously here and there in a hot, sandy field, 

 and one follows eagerly, confident that some interesting 

 activity will ensue at any moment. She runs in this direc- 

 tion and that, absolutely without any system or general 

 direction, peeping into every crevice or behind every ob- 

 stacle, often hopping and twitching the wings nervously. 

 Thus she lures us on and on almost interminably, until our 

 eyes feel strained with watching her in the glaring sun. 

 Sometimes she plunges into a crevice or a mole's tunnel, 

 and we wait until she comes out empty-handed, or she may 

 walk about the tunnel and emerge far beyond, and leave us 

 watching for ever so long at the place where she entered, 



7 This species is listed in Dalla Torre's Catalogue as Salius pompilus 

 (fide Rohwer). 



