CHAPTER XVI 



THE ANTHRAX FLY 



I 

 A STRANGE MEAL 



I MADE the acquaintance of the Anthrax in 1855 at 

 Carpentras, when I was searching the slopes of 

 which I have already told you, the slopes beloved 

 of the Anthophora-bees. Her curious pupa, so power- 

 fully equipped to force an outlet for the perfect insect, 

 which is incapable of the least effort, seemed worthy of 

 investigation. For that pupa is armed with a plough- 

 share in front, a trident at its tail, and rows of harpoons 

 on its back, with which to rip open the Osmia-bee's cocoon 

 and break through the hard crust of the hill-side. 



Let us, some day in July, knock away the pebbles that 

 fasten the nests of the Mason-bees to the sloping ground 

 on which they are built. Loosened by the shock, the 

 dome comes off cleanly, all in one piece. Moreover 

 and this is a great advantage the cells are all exposed 

 at the base of the nest, for at this point they have no other 

 wall than the surface of the pebble. Without any scrap- 

 ing, which would be wearisome work for us and danger- 

 ous to the Bees, we have all the cells before our eyes, to- 



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