24 The Hunting JVasps 



her victim : the first turned the scale at 

 150 miUigrammes ; ^ the second averaged 250 

 minigrammes,^ or nearly double. 



These figures are eloquent of the powers of 

 the huntress, nor did I ever weary of admiring 

 the nimbleness and ease with which she resumed 

 her flight, with the game between her legs, and 

 rose to a height at which I lost sight of her 

 whenever, tracked too close by my indiscretion, 

 she resolved to flee in order to save her precious 

 booty. But she did not always fly away ; and 

 I would then succeed, not without difficulty, 

 lest I should hurt her, in making her drop her 

 prey by worrying her and rolling her over. I 

 would then seize the Weevil ; and the Cerceris, 

 thus despoiled, would hunt about here and 

 there, enter her lair for a moment and soon 

 come out again to fly off on a fresh chase. In 

 less than ten minutes the skilled huntress had 

 found a new victim, performed the murder and 

 accomplished the rape, which I often allowed 

 myself to turn to my own profit. Eight 

 times in succession I have committed the 

 same robbery at the expense of the same 

 Wasp ; eight times, with unshaken consist- 

 ency, she has recommenced her fruitless ex- 

 pedition. Her patience outwore mine ; and I 



* "528 oz. av. — Translator's Note. 

 2 "88 oz. av. — Translator's Note. 



