The IVisdom of Instinct i6i 



the points of its mandibles, the insect, while 

 leaving uninjured the thin and supple mem- 

 brane of the neck, goes rummaging into the 

 skull and munching the brain. There is no 

 effusion of blood, no wound, but simply an 

 external pressure. Of course, I kept for my 

 own purposes the Ephippiger paralysed before 

 my eyes, in order to ascertain the effects of 

 the operation at my leisure ; also, of course, I 

 hastened to repeat in my turn, upon hve Ephip- 

 pigers, what the Sphex had just taught me. I 

 will here compare my results with the Wasp's. 



Two Ephippigers whose cervical ganglia I 

 squeeze and compress with a forceps fall rapidly 

 into a state resembling that of the victims of 

 the Sphex. Only, they grate their cymbals if 

 I tease them with a needle ; and the legs still 

 retain a few disordered and languid movements. 

 The difference no doubt is due to the fact that 

 my patients were not previously injured in 

 their thoracic ganglia, as were those of the 

 Sphex, who were first stung on the breast. 

 Allowing for this important condition, we see 

 that I was none too bad a pupil and that I 

 imitated pretty closely my teacher of physiology, 

 the Sphex. I confess it was not without a 

 certain satisfaction that I succeeded in doing 

 almost as well as the insect. 



As well ? What am I talking about ? Wait 



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