Chapter D: Sharp

Cambridge, 20th August 1901.

CONTENTS

PAGE
I. The Sacred Beetle 1
II. The Enclosure 27
III. Cerceris Bupresticida 40
IV. Cerceris Tuberculata 51
V. One Skilful to Slay 67
VI. The Yellow-winged Sphex 80
VII. Three Strokes of a Dagger 93
VIII. Larva and Nymph 101
IX. Advanced Theories 116
X. The Sphex of Languedoc 132
XI. The Science of Instinct 146
XII. The Ignorance of Instinct 164
XIII. An Ascent of Mont Ventoux 179
XIV. The Emigrants 193
XV. The Ammophila 205
XVI. The Bembex 219
XVII. Hunting Diptera 233
XVIII. A Parasite—The Cocoon 243
XIX. The Return to the Nest 258
XX. Mason Bees 271
XXI. Experiments 289
XXII. An Exchange of Nests 306
Descriptive Notes 317

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The Sacred Beetle Frontispiece
Dung Beetles gathering Provender Facing page 6
Geotrupes stercorarius fighting for the Pellet 12
Cerceris bupresticida and its Prey; Bupresticis micans and
Buprestis flavomaculata 46
Cerceris tuberculata dragging Weevil to its Burrow 54
Cerceris ferreri and its Prey, the Weevil; Rhynchites betulæ
on Birch Leaves, showing two leaves rolled up by the Weevil 58
Sphex flavipennis about to seize Grasshopper 120
Sphex occitanica taking a Sun Bath 136
The Sphex of Languedoc dragging to its Burrow an Ephippiger
of the Vine 156
The Sphex of Languedoc and its enemy, the Praying Mantis 166
Ammophila hirsuta attacking a Grub 194
Ammophila sabulosa taking stone to cover its Burrow;
A. argentata Mining 207
Ammophila hirsuta hunting for Caterpillars; Ammophila
sabulosa on the Wing 208
Bembex rostrata taking Gadfly to its Nest; Bembex rostrata
Mining 240
Mason Bees—Chalicodoma muraria on Old Nest 272
Mason Bees—Chalicodoma sicula and Nest 280