CHAPTER V 



THE THREE DAGGER-THRUSTS 



THERE is no doubt that the Sphex dis- 

 plays her most cunning resources at the 

 moment of immolating a Cricket; it is im- 

 portant therefore to ascertain the manner 

 wherein the victim is sacrificed. Profiting 

 by the repeated attempts which I had 

 made when I was studying the tactics of the 

 Cerceres, I at once applied to the Sphex the 

 method which had succeeded with the other 

 Wasps, a method that consisted in taking the 

 prey from the huntress and forthwith re- 

 placing it by another, living prey. The sub- 

 stitution is all the easier inasmuch as we have 

 seen the Sphex herself releasing her victim 

 in order to go down the burrow for a mo- 

 ment alone. Her daring familiarity, which 

 makes her come and take from your fingers 

 and even out of your hand the Cricket whom 

 you have stolen from her and now offer her 

 again, also lends itself admirably to the suc- 

 cessful issue of the experiment, by allowing 

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