WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



of standing corn. Here we had great difficulty in follow- 

 ing her, since, far from keeping to her former orderly 

 course, she zigzagged among the plants in the most be- 

 wildering fashion, although keeping a general direction 

 of northeast. It seemed quite impossible that she could 

 know where she was going. The corn rose to a height of 

 six feet all around us ; the ground was uniform in appear- 

 ance, and, to our eyes, each group of cornstalks was just 

 like every other group, and yet, without pause or hesita- 

 tion, the little creature passed quickly along, as we might 

 through the familiar streets of our native town. 



At last she paused and laid her burden down. Ah ! the 

 power that has led her is not a blind, mechanically per- 

 fect instinct, for she has traveled a little too far. She 

 must go back one row into the open space that she has 

 already crossed, although not just at this point. Nothing 

 like a nest is visible to us ; the surface of the ground looks 

 all alike, and it is with exclamations of wonder that we 

 see our little guide lift two pellets of earth which have 

 served as a covering to a small opening running down 

 into the ground. 



The way being thus prepared, she hurries back with 

 her wings quivering and her whole manner betokening 

 joyful triumph at the completion of her task. We, in 

 the mean time, have become as much excited over the 



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