136 INSECT BEHAVIOR 



Of course it is probable that upon her return, the ant came by 

 accident directly to that part of the cricket which was being held in 

 the forceps. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that this time 

 the ant freed her prize by chewing through the cricket's feeler, an 

 action which had not, apparently, occurred to her when her journey 

 was first arrested. Although this fact is not a very remarkable one, 

 it is true that the ant was efficient in adapting herself to the cir- 

 cumstances, which were quite unusual. In such cases instinct is sup- 

 posed to be deficient. 



Now let us watch another ant, an inhabitant of the same mound, 

 who is also struggling homeward, bearing the remains of some dry 

 and lifeless insect. 



After towing her burden backwards for perhaps twelve inches, the 

 insect came upon a tall blade of grass, fully a foot in height, which 

 was growing directly in her path. Here I expected to see the ant 

 circumscribe the base of the stem, but what stupidity! Instead of 

 executing this simple manoeuvre, she climbed first to the top and 

 finally down again upon the opposite side of the blade, probably with 

 the idea that she had covered with ease a considerable portion of the 

 homeward journey. 



These two ants, which we have followed with their burdens, were 

 undoubtedly children of the same queen, yet while one was quite 

 competent under extraordinary conditions, the other lacked sufficient 

 power of perception to have prevented herself from accomplishing 

 a useless feat. 



An interesting insect for experimental purposes is the Sphecid 

 wasp, 1 the largest and most powerful of our Eastern wasps. This 

 insect digs a deep burrow in sandy soil, at the end of which two or 

 more elongated chambers or cells are constructed. In each of these, 

 the insect places a single cicada or "Locust" that has previously 



1 Sphecius speciosus. 



