The Hunting Wasps 



stump left by the scissors. It is very short 

 indeed, hardly a millimetre; 1 no matter: it 

 is enough for the Sphex, who grips this fag- 

 end of a rope and resumes her hauling. With 

 the greatest precaution, so as not to injure 

 the Wasp, I now cut the two antennary 

 stumps level with the skull. Finding nothing 

 left to catch hold of at the familiar points, 

 the insect seizes, close by, one of the victim's 

 long palpi and continues its hauling-work, 

 without appearing at all perturbed by this 

 change in the harness. I leave it alone. 

 The prey is brought home and placed so that 

 its head faces the entrance to the burrow; 

 and the Wasp goes in by herself, to make a 

 brief inspection of the inside of the cell be- 

 fore proceeding to warehouse the provisions. 

 Her behaviour reminds us of that of the Yel- 

 low-winged Sphex in similar circumstances. 

 I take advantage of this short moment to 

 seize the abandoned prey, remove all its palpi 

 and place it a little farther off, about half a 

 yard from the burrow. The Sphex reap- 

 pears and goes straight to her captive, whom 

 she has seen from her threshold. She looks 

 at the top of the head, she looks underneath, 

 on either side and finds nothing to take hold 



'.039 inch. Translator's Note. 

 194 



