The Hunting Wasps 



occasion, when a long walk had tired me; 

 and, even if I had really seen everything cor- 

 rectly, it was advisable to witness the per- 

 formance a second time, so as to establish its 

 authenticity beyond all doubt. I may add 

 that one would never weary of the spectacle, 

 even if it were repeated a hundred times 

 over. 



I therefore watched my Ammophilae from 

 the moment of their first appearance; and, as 

 I had them here, within my precincts, only a 

 few steps from my door, I could not fail to 

 catch them hunting, provided that my assidu- 

 ity were not relaxed. The end of March 

 and the whole of April were spent in vain 

 waiting, either because the moment of nidi- 

 fication had not yet come, or, more probably, 

 because my vigilance was at fault. At last, 

 on the 1 7th of May, a lucky chance pre- 

 sented itself. 



A few Ammophilae strike me as very busy : 

 suppose we follow one of them, more active 

 than the rest. I detect her giving a last 

 sweep of the rake to her burrow, on the 

 smooth, hard path, before introducing her 

 caterpillar, which, already paralysed, must 

 have been abandoned by the huntress, for the 

 time being, a few yards away from the home. 

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