152 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT 



goes for it too briskly ; points of support are wanting 

 and the sting cannot reach the desired spot ; for over 

 an hour, one vain attempt follows upon the other, divided 

 by spells of rest, during which the two adversaries look 

 like two narrow rings wound one inside the other. 



What ought the sturdy Cetonia grub to do in order to 

 defy the Two-banded Scolia, who is nothing like so strong 

 as her victim ? Imitate the Anoxia, of course, and remain 

 rolled up like a hedgehog until the enemy retreats. It 

 tries to flee, unrolls itself and thus causes its own undoing. 

 The other does not budge from its defensive posture and 

 resists successfully. Is this due to acquired prudence ? 

 No, but to the impossibility of acting otherwise on the 

 polished surface of a table. Heavy, obese, weak-legged, 

 bent into a hook after the manner of the common white 

 maggot, the Anoxia grub is unable to shift its position on 

 a smooth surface ; it flounders painfully, lying on its 

 side. What it wants is the shifting soil wherein, using 

 its mandibles as a spade, it digs and buries itself. 



Let us try if sand will shorten the battle, of which the 

 end does not yet seem in sight after an hour's waiting. 

 I lightly sprinkle the arena. The attack is resumed more 

 fiercely than ever. The grub, feeling the sand, its natural 

 dwelling-place, now also tries to slip away, the reckless 

 one ! What did I tell you ? Its torus does not represent 

 acquired prudence, but the necessity of the moment. The 

 harsh experience of past misfortunes has not yet taught 

 it the precious advantage which it would derive from its 

 volute kept closed as long as danger lasts. Besides, 

 not all are equally cautious on the firm support of my 

 table. The biggest even seem ignorant of what they 

 understood so well in their youth : the art of self-defence 

 by rolling one's self in a ball. 



