c means
of travelling on its back, the portly grub has no thought of fleeing; it
coils itself up. The Scolia, with her powerful pincers, grips its skin
now here, now elsewhere. Curved into a circle with the two ends almost
touching, she strives to thrust the tip of her abdomen into the narrow
opening in the coil formed by the larva. The contest is conducted
calmly, without violent bouts at each varying accident. It is the
determined attempt of a living split ring trying to slip one of its ends
into another living split ring, which with equal determination
refuses to open. The Scolia holds the victim subdued with her legs
and mandibles; she tries one side, then the other, without managing to
unroll the circle, which contracts still more as it feels its danger
increasing. The actual circumstances make the operation more difficult:
the prey slips and rolls about the table when the insect handles it too
violently; there are no points of purchase and the sting cannot reach
the desired spot; the fruitless efforts are continued for more than an
hour, interrupted by periods of rest, during which the two adversaries
represent two narrow, interlocked rings.

What ought the powerful Cetonia-grub to do to defy the Two-banded
Scolia, who is far less vigorous than her victim? It should imitate
the Anoxia-larva and remain rolled up like a Hedgehog until the enemy
retires. It tries to escape, unrolls itself and is lost. The other does
not stir from its posture of defence and resists successfully. Is this
due to acquired caution? No, but to the impossibility of doing otherwise
on the slippery surface of a table. Clumsy, obese, weak in the legs,
curved into a hook like the common White Worm (The larva of the
Cockchafer.--Translator's Note.), the Anoxia-larva is unable to move
along a smooth surface; it writhes laboriously, lying on its side. It
needs the shifting soil in which, using its mandibles as a plough-share,
it digs into the ground and buries itself.

Let us try if sand will shorten the struggle, for I see no end to it
yet, after more than an hour of waiting. I lightly powder the arena.
The attack is resumed with a vengeance. The larva, feeling the sand, its
native element, tries to escape. Imprudent creature! Did I not say that
its obstinacy in remaining rolled up was due to no acquired prudence but
to the necessity of the moment? The sad experience of past adversities
has not yet taught it the precious advantage which it might