l62 MY STUDIO NEIGHBORS 



large black species being conspicuous. Here is 

 one creeping and sipping along a grass stem. A 

 small digger-wasp likes this grass stem too, but 

 instead of exchanging courtesies on the subject, 

 the wasp proceeds to bite the ant's head off with- 

 out ceremony, and continues sipping at the stem 

 as though decapitation were a mere casual inci- 

 dent in its daily walk. 



On the same stem a big blowfly has alighted. 

 Judging from appearances, he has had his fill of 

 good things, and is now making his leisurely toi- 

 let in the peculiar fashion of his kind, rubbing 

 down his back and wings with his hind legs, twist- 

 ing his front feet into spirals, and ever and anon 

 testing the strength of his elastic neck attach- 

 ment as he threatens to pull his head from his 

 body. 



This worldly act has been progressing for some 

 moments under the gaze of a big black digger- 

 wasp, who now concludes to cut it short. When 

 at close range with his prey, the fly suddenly dis- 

 covers the unhealthy location which he occupies, 

 and actually protruding his tongue by way of 

 parting salute, he is off with a buzz. He has 

 barely taken wing, however, when a still louder 

 buzz is heard, while a great black bumblebee fol- 

 lows closely in his wake, until the sounds of both 



