364 GENERAL ADAPTIVENESS. 



A commoner form, however, is that illustrated in such means 

 of prey-capture as the following on the part of an astute 

 American wasp, a dirt-dauber or builder. Desirous of cap- 

 turing a doodlebug beetle that was beyond its reach in the 

 bottom of its hole, the wasp tried the earth all about the 

 mouth of the said hole so as to obtain the driest, selected it, 

 scratching with its forefeet so as to throw the dust into the 

 hole, which it gradually filled, peeping down now and then 

 to see the result of its operations. The natural result was 

 that the poor beetle was driven to clamber upwards, till at 

 last he poked his head, blinded by dust, above ground, when 

 he was at once seized by his sagacious enemy. There are 

 other cases in which, in order to blind an enemy, dust is 

 literally, as well as figuratively, thrown into its eyes (Bro- 

 derip). The Barbary ape, for instance, literally flings dust 

 in the eyes of its human or other foes (Watson) ; and there 

 are cases in which sagacious animals, such as the elephant, 

 for other purposes, such as self-extrication, or the extri- 

 cation of other animals, from wells or pitfalls, have resorted 

 to the serviceable and suitable expedient of gradually filling 

 up the cavity, of whatever character, by some solid material, 

 such as branches of trees or hurdles. 



Different animals have different means of rousing each 

 other, or their masters, into alertness for instance, from 

 the sleeping state. Ant-watchmen awaken sleepers in the 

 morning by strokes with their antennae, or by bites if neces- 

 sary (Huber). Certain birds, again, rouse their sleeping 

 masters by pulling their hair or nightcap, or pinching the 

 ear ('Animal World'). A dog that had discovered a fire in 

 its master's premises gave alarm by jumping upon the beds 

 occupied by the master and his family, licking their faces to 

 arouse the sleepers. Where this failed in one case, it seized 

 a boy's ear with its teeth, and shook or pulled it forcibly till 

 the boy awoke. Then it conducted those who got up to the 

 scene of the incipient conflagration ('Animal World '). A 

 regimental dog, during the Crimean war, visited the sentries 

 at night. If they were asleep, he would quietly watch and 

 wait beside them, apprising them instantly of any threatened 

 danger ; while if they were awake and on the alert he passed 



