THEVOICEOFTHEDESERT 92 



I shall choose only one, partly because it is both simple and 

 comic. 



The individual which exhibited this instance of what 

 must amount to genius in an insect was a solitary wasp of 

 the New Hebrides. It had got into the habit of visiting 

 Miss Cheesman s breakfast table for sweets and she had 

 got into the habit of performing little experiments upon it. 

 When it had retired to its tiny burrow for the day and 

 stood just within the entrance on guard against intruders 

 who might steal its larder of insect food, the experimenter 

 would tap threateningly with a pair of forceps and the 

 wasp would emerge to do battle, leaping upon the forceps 

 and trying to bite into the steel. 



''. , . When the forceps remained still she seemed satis- 

 fied that the enemy was slain and would return to the bur- 

 row, rushing in head foremost as was her habit. Directly 

 she turned her back to do this I would give her a httle tap. 

 Now what is interesting is that such habits are hereditary. 

 That particular species always enters her burrow head 

 first . . . but that particular wasp after several times hav- 

 ing a tap from the forceps wouldn't turn her back again. 

 She lowered herself very cautiously backwards into the 

 burrow, keeping a bright look-out for this treacherous 

 enemy which pretended to be dead and then came to life 

 again when she was not looking. It is an interesting point, 

 because it proves once more that some insects are not com- 

 pletely hide-bound by their instincts, but that individuals 

 can change a hereditary habit on occasions." 



Why should Miss Cheesman and I after her make such 

 a fuss about so small an event? Simply because upon its 

 interpretation some very important implications depend. 

 If this particular wasp could change its behavior to meet 



