2UO THRU UGH ANGOLA 



helplessness, and then drag it away as food for its 

 larvas. 



Among other flies of this group which use a 

 paralysing sting are those master builders, the 

 mason wasp and the mud dauber. 



The mud daubers (Scaliphron spirifex), called 

 Marimbondo by the natives, may be recognized 

 by their very narrow waists and long legs, which 

 drop and hang down when they fly, and by 

 a curious jumping way of propulsion when 

 walking. 



Having made its earth nest, which consists of 

 one or more tubes of clay, in some sheltered corner 

 of a house, rock, or tree, the Marimbondo goes off 

 to collect its young grub or larva, and drops it 

 into the nest along with the spiders or caterpillars 

 which it has stung and paralysed for its grub. 

 Having provided suflicient live meat, the father 

 dauber seals up the nest and buzzes off to new 

 flirtations. 



The young dauber larva, after feeding and 

 growing for some weeks on its paralysed but living 

 food, emerges one day in all the glory of the 

 winged insect, with coat of black and gold, to 

 love and sting and kill in its turn. 



But neither the dauber nor the mason wasp, a 

 fellow-murderer, have it all their own way, for the 

 ruby-tailed wasp acts the cuckoo to their nests, 

 and large flies like the Dasylus kill the mason wasp 

 and dauber. 



And in this way the scheme of nature is ful- 

 filled this nature which is sometimes called the 

 kindly, bub which is 'ernbiy eiucl, and whose 



