136 The H tenting IV asps 



the Sphex here, sunning herself on a vine-leaf. 

 The insect, spread out flat, is basking voluptu- 

 ously in the heat and light. From time to time 

 it has a sort of frenzied outburst of pleasure : 

 it quivers with content ; it rapidly taps its 

 feet on its couch, producing a tattoo not unlike 

 that of rain falling heavily on the leaf. The 

 joyous thrum can be heard several feet away. 

 Then immobility begins again, soon followed 

 by a fresh nervous commotion and by the 

 whirling of the tarsi, a symbol of supreme 

 felicity. I have known some of these passionate 

 sun-lovers suddenly to leave the work-yard, 

 when the larva's cave has been half-dug, and 

 go to the nearest vine to take a bath of heat 

 and light, after which they would come back 

 to the burrow, as though reluctantly, just to give 

 a perfunctory sweep and soon end by knocking 

 off work, unable to resist the exquisite tempta- 

 tion of luxuriating on the vine-leaves. 



It may be that the voluptuous couch is also 

 an observatory, whence the Wasp surveys the 

 surrounding country in order to discover and 

 select her prey. Her exclusive game is the 

 Ephippiger of the Vine, scattered here and there 

 on the branches or on any brambles hard by. 

 The joint is a substantial one, especially as the 

 Sphex favours solely the females, whose bellies 

 are swollen with a mighty cluster of eggs. 



