A BEAST OF PREY 



without the slightest consideration for his feelings 

 as a living animal. I may add (to anticipate an 

 obvious criticism) that I am aware the sting-bearing 

 \vasp is a female ; I have only treated her here 

 to a masculine pro- 

 noun because it helps 

 to discriminate her 

 better in each sen- 

 tence from my friend 

 Rosalind. 



In No. 6, our in- 

 trepid Rosalind is re- 

 presented in the act 

 of attacking a blow- 

 fly which has buzzed 

 noisily into the web. 

 The moment her 

 delicate foot on the 

 line informs her that 

 a large insect has got 

 entangled in her toils, 

 she rushes angrily 

 out, and begins at 

 once to envelop him. 

 In this case, however, 

 her intention is not 

 to devour him on the 

 spot ; she means to 



store her larder with provisions for future use, 

 and is as careless as ever of the feelings of her 

 victim. No. 7 shows with what bands she proceeds 

 to swathe him. She catches him firmly as fast as 



NO. 7. ROSALIND TRUNDLING THE 

 BLOW-FLY, AND ENVELOPING HIM 

 IN SILK FROM HER SPINNERETS. 



