160 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT 



power and which cracks like a broken breastplate. Once 

 more, whence comes this strange immunity of the Cali- 

 curgus between the legs and under the daggers of the 

 Tarantula ? I do not know. At a time when she is in 

 mortal danger in front of her enemy, the Lycosa threatens 

 her with her fangs and cannot bring herself to bite, pre- 

 vented by a reluctance which I do not undertake to 

 explain . 



Seeing that I am obtaining nothing but alarms and 

 scrimmages devoid of seriousness, I decide to alter the 

 conditions of the prize-ring and to make it resemble more 

 closely the natural state. My work-table is but a poor 

 substitute for the soil ; besides, the Arachnid has not 

 her stronghold, her burrow, which maybe plays a part 

 of some importance in both attack and defence. A 

 stump of reed is stuck perpendicularly in a large pan 

 filled with earth. This shall represent the Lycosa's pit. 

 In the middle, I plant a few heads of echinops, made appe- 

 tizing with honey, as a refectory for the Pompilus ; a 

 pair of Crickets, renewed as soon as consumed, shall keep 

 up the strength of the Tarantula. This comfortable 

 abode, exposed to the sun, receives the two captives 

 under a woven-wire cover, well-ventilated and suitable for 

 a long stay. 



My artifices lead to no result ; the session ends without 

 business done. A day passes, two days, three days ; and 

 still nothing. The Calicurgus is unremitting in her atten- 

 tions to the honeyed thistle-heads ; the Tarantula calmly 

 nibbles away at her Cricket. If the other comes within 

 reach of her, she quickly draws herself up and, with a 

 gesture, orders her to be off. The artificial burrow, the 

 reed-stump, fulfils its purpose nicely. Lycosa and Cali- 

 curgus take refuge in it by turns, but without quarrelling. 



