The IVisdoni of Instinct 165 



Sphex of the same species accomplish the ascent 

 with her game and make her home under the 

 arch of a badly-joined tile. Perhaps the present 

 Wasp is descended from the one who performed 

 that arduous climb. 



A like feat seems about to be repeated ; and 

 this time before numerous witnesses, for all the 

 family, working under the shade of the plane- 

 trees, come and form a circle around the Sphex. 

 They wonder at the unceremonious boldness of 

 the insect, which is not diverted from its work 

 by a gallery of onlookers ; all are struck by its 

 proud and lusty bearing, as, with raised head 

 and the victim's antennae firmly gripped in its 

 mandibles, it drags the enormous burden after 

 it. I, alone among the spectators, feel a twinge 

 of regret at the sight : 



* Ah, if only I had some live Ephippigers ! ' 

 I cannot help saying, with not the least hope 

 of seeing my wish realized. 



' Live Ephippigers ? ' replies Emile. * Why, 

 I have some perfectly fresh ones, caught this 

 morning ! ' 



He dashes upstairs, four steps at a time, 

 and runs to his little den, where a fence of 

 dictionaries encloses a park for the rearing of 

 some fine caterpillars of the Spurge Hawk-moth. 

 He brings me three Ephippigers, the best that 

 I could wish for, two females and a male. 



