When flying from their caverns, intent upon the chase, the Cerceres would take any direction indifferently, turning now this way, now that; and they would come back, laden with their prey, from all quarters. Every part of the neighbourhood must therefore have been explored without distinction; but, as the huntresses were hardly more than ten minutes in coming and going, the radius worked could not be one of great extent, especially when we allow for the time necessary for the insect to discover its prey, to attack it and to reduce it to an inert mass. I therefore set myself to inspect the adjacent ground with every possible attention, in the hope of finding a few Cerceres engaged in hunting. An afternoon devoted to this thankless task ended by persuading me of the futility of my quest and of the small chance which I had of catching in the act a few scarce huntresses, scattered here and there and soon lost to view through the swiftness of their flight, especially on difficult ground, thickly planted with vines and olive-trees. I abandoned the attempt. By myself bringing live Weevils into the vicinity of the nests, might I not tempt the Cerceres with a victim all ready to hand and thus witness the desired tragedy? The idea seemed a good one; and the very next morning I went off in search of live specimens of Cleonus ophthalmicus. Vineyards, cornfields, lucerne-crops, hedges, stone-heaps, roadsides: I visited and inspected one and all; and, after two mortal days of minute investigation, I was the possessor—dare I say it?—I was the possessor of three Weevils, flayed, covered with dust, minus antennæ or tarsi, maimed veterans whom the Cerceres would perhaps refuse to look at! Many years have passed since the days of that fevered quest when, bathed in sweat, I made those wild expeditions, all for a Weevil; and, despite my almost daily entomological explorations, I am still ignorant how and where the celebrated Cleonus lives, though I meet him occasionally, roaming on the edge of the paths. O wonderful power of instinct! In the selfsame places and in a mere fraction of time, our Wasps would have found by the hundred these insects undiscoverable by man; and they would have found them fresh and glossy, doubtless just issued from their nymphal cocoons!