n] FOSSORES OR DIGGER-WASPS 17 



play the cuckoo. On such occasions the spider is not 

 left upon the ground exposed to the attacks of ants, 

 but with much labour and struggling on the part of 

 the wasp is dragged up a heather stern and carefully 

 lodged in the fork made by two twigs, thence to be 

 reclaimed after but very little search by the unfor- 

 getful owner. 



The care with which the wasp conceals the position 

 of the stocked and completed nursery-larder is very 

 pretty to witness. First she scratches sand over the 

 hole from all directions, until, to the human eye at 

 any rate, all trace of the burrow has been obliterated ; 

 then, as though not satisfied that the surface presents 

 no appearance of having been disturbed, she will 

 gather dead heather bells, a few pine-needles, a pellet 

 or two of rabbit's dung and scatter them in haphazard 

 fashion over the place where her treasure lies hid. 

 And what further interest takes she in this spot over 

 which for the sake of her child she has expended so 

 much care and labour? Absolutely none. To the 

 best of our knowledge she never comes near the 

 place again except by accident, but sets to work to 

 repeat the whole performance whenever the condi- 

 tions are favourable to her, and again exhibits the 

 same heartless indifference to the welfare of her 

 offspring when once she has laid in the store of 

 a few spiders. Maternal instincts have reached no 

 great developments here. 



L. B. W. 2 



