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CtrT-W0«M3. TIIEln DESTHOYEB'S BOtlK OP KILLING TSCK. 



of its prey. It wanders about over the plowed land, until it comes upon S 

 spot where it perceives the surface has been newly disturbed. This indi- 

 cates to it that a worm has probably crawled down into the ground at that 

 spot. It immediately thereupon roots down into this loosened dirt, and 

 disappears from view, the motion of the dirt indicating its movements, 

 as it pushes itself along. At times it lies perfectly still, to discover if any 

 worm is moving in the dirt anywlieres near it. Now it is the habit of the 

 Cut-worm, the same as of most other worms, when any other creature ap- 

 proaches and disturbs it, to give at short intervals a sudden, spiteful jerk, 

 to menace and frighten away the intruder. But now, aware by the brisk 

 motion made in the dirt near it, of the proximity of its mortal foe, it 

 restrains itself from its wonted habit, and lies as still as though it were 

 dead. It is only by some motion in the dirt, or by coming abruptly against 

 it with its head and feelers, that this destioyer can discover the worm, for 

 I have seen it draw the hind part of its body along the side of a worm 

 ■which was lying perfectly still, and crawl away, without being made 

 aware of the worm's presence by touching it in this manner. 



One of the most interesting and wonderful exhibitions of insect economy 

 which the world affords, is this Calosonia larva murdering a Cut-worm. The 

 larva it may be is young and less than half the size of the worm, but the lit- 

 tle hero never shrinks from the encounter. Upon discovering a worm he is 

 instantly on the alert, all vivacity and as if crazy with excitement. The worm 

 perhaps holds its head bent down stiffly upon its breast. The larva hereupon 

 briskly roots and pushes the worm about and pinches it with its jaws, 

 whereby he gets it to throw back its head, whereupon he instantly grasps 

 the worm by its throat, sinking his sliarp jaws through the skin, and cling- 

 ing thereto with the grip and pertinacity of a bull dog. The worm mad- 

 dened by the pain, writhes and rolls over and over and thrashes his tor- 

 mentor furiously about to break him off from his hold; he coils liis body like 

 a jBoa con.s^riictor tightly around him to pull him away: he bends himself 

 into a ring with a small orifice in the centre, and then brisklj' revolving, 

 draws him through and through this orifice to tear him off; but every 

 expedient of tiie poor worm fails. The larva clings to his grip upon the 

 worm's throat, till the latter, exhausted by his violent struggles, gradually 

 relaxes his efforts, becomes more and more weak and powerless, and finally 

 succumbs to his fate. Having thus killed the worm the larva leisurely pro- 

 ceeds to feed upon it, biting two or three holes through the skin in differ- 

 ent places to suck out its contents. It is occupied three or four hours in 

 completing this work. And the larva becomes so gorged hereby that its 

 own skin is distended almost to bursting. It then crawls slightly under 

 ground, and there lies and sleeps off its surfeit, and then comes out and 

 •wanders off in search of another meal of the same kind. 



When this larva is small a single Cut-worm suffices it for one or two 

 days; but as it approaches maturity it devours one or two worms daily. 



