276 The Hunting IV asps 



ammonia with a needle into the thoracic ganglia. 

 In making the experiment, it is difficult to 

 render the insect motionless ; and, by the time 

 that it has ceased to move, death has actually 

 occurred, as is proved by its speedy corruption 

 or desiccation. But I have too much confidence 

 in the resources of instinct and have witnessed 

 the ingenious solution of too many problems to 

 believe that a difficulty which baffles the experi- 

 menter can bring the insect to a standstill. 

 Therefore, without throwing doubt upon the 

 Bembex' talents as a slaughterer, I should be 

 inclined to look for other reasons. 



Perhaps the Fly, so thinly covered, so devoid 

 of any plumpness, in a word, so lean, could not, 

 if paralysed by the sting, resist evaporation long 

 enough and would shrivel up during the two or 

 three weeks of waiting. Consider the puny 

 Sphserophoria, the larva's first mouthful. How 

 much liquid has that body to satisfy the needs 

 of evaporation ? An infinitesimal drop, a mere 

 nothing. The abdomen is a thin strip ; its two 

 sides touch. Can such game as this form the 

 basis of preserved food, seeing that evaporation 

 would dry up its juices in a few hours when these 

 are not renewed by nutrition ? It is doubtful, 

 to say the least. 



Let us examine the method of hunting, so 

 as to throw some final light on the subject. In 



