AMONGST THE BEES AT WORK 87 



enough, selects as its victim a fly which is also 

 coated with silver. There are, of course, many 

 other inhabitants in such a bank as this. There 

 are sure to be ants, which are always interesting 

 to watch, and probably now and then a PompHus 

 will appear on the scene. These exceedingly 

 lively creatures which run at a very rapid pace, 

 vibrating their wings as they go, and taking short 

 flights between the runs, are on the hunt for 

 spiders. They will be seen to forage amongst 

 any grass or herbage there may be on the bank, 

 and if they can only secure a spider it is stung 

 and paralyzed and carried off at once to the nest. 

 Of course every sand bank will not yield a great 

 number of insects, but some, especially in sandy 

 districts like Woking, Oxshott, and other parts 

 of the Surrey commons, and the New Forest, 

 simply teem with life and would repay any 

 one for hours of watching and observation. 



