22 BEES AND WASPS [OH. 



be funnel-shaped ; and then was exhibited a delight- 

 ful display of sagacity. The insect ran hurriedly 

 round about her burrow, and with her jaws seized 

 a tiny lump of earth, but at once dropped it : this 

 she did several times, but at length found a small 

 flat stone. This she grasped with evident satisfaction 

 and at once ran off with it to her burrow. Now the 

 purpose of the funnel-like entrance became clear : the 

 stone went easily into the wide mouth of the funnel, 

 but rested flat across the more narrow bottom, and 

 served to prevent the pellets of earth and sand, with 

 which she now quickly filled the entrance, from falling 

 down the main shaft. Notwithstanding her haste, the 

 work was done carefully ; for more than once a pellet 

 found to be too big or of the wrong shape when put 

 upon the rest was at once removed and thrown away. 

 The covering of the hole having been made nearly 

 flush with the surrounding surface, the insect pro- 

 ceeded to nibble the sand above the entry, so that 

 a shower of grains fell down over her work and made 

 the spot look exactly like all the rest of the bank. 

 To complete the concealment she cut a few dead 

 grass roots and scattered them about the place. So 

 perfectly was the burrow hidden that I deemed it 

 advisable to mark the spot with a sprig of heather 

 lest I should forget the exact site. The same need was 

 evidently experienced by the insect herself, for she 

 proceeded to take careful note of her surroundings, 



