A WILY PARASITE. 35 



you may also possibly see its borer, in the shape of a little bee 

 mother, of the carpenter craft, who with infinite pains and 

 labour has chiselled out with her jaws a nursery tunnel, di- 

 vided it into cells, and stored it with provision for her you ^g. 

 But, ah ! that bejewelled ruby-tailed pryer has also watched 

 her in her tender labours, which she will take good care to 

 convert, if possible, to the benefit of her own waspish off- 

 spring. Only behold her (like a fiend in angeFs guise) lurk- 

 ing to effect her purpose. She has deserted her sunny post, 

 and hides her glittering form under the covert of some neigh- 

 bouring leaves, her glowing eyes fixed, though, all the while, 

 upon the nest of her humble cousin Bee. She has seen her 

 return, her thighs laden with the golden pollen which she has 

 been collecting for her nestlings' store ; but still, it wants 

 completion, and she (poor busy mother !), meaning shortly to 

 return, repairs once more to a neighbouring garden, to load 

 herself again with sweet provision. But no sooner does she 

 issue from her nest-hole, than the wily parasite darts from be- 

 hind her screen, her dazzling body and glittering wings flash for 

 a moment in the sun, then suddenly are lost in the dark per- 

 foration of the tunnelled bee's nest. Woe then to its hapless 

 tenants ! They may feast awhile upon the sweets provided by 

 maternal care ; but they will feast and fatten only to be de- 

 voured by a grub of the golden wasp, who, in her visit to their 

 nest (fatal as it is brief), has deposited an egg, or eggs, from 

 whence will issue all this murderous mischief. 



