WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



the opening larger. After a few moments' work she 

 tried again, and although the passage was still much 

 too small for convenience the spider was at length 

 dragged forth, looking much the worse for wear. As 

 she moved away we alarmed her by lifting some vines 

 that prevented our keeping her in view, and she flew 

 up, leaving the spider on the ground. We seized the 

 opportunity to bend and twist the plants this way and 

 that so that the ground might be left uncovered. The 

 changes that we made probably disconcerted her, for 

 she seemed to lose track of her prey. For over half an 

 hour she hunted about, circling above the place and 

 running around and around over the ground. She 

 often came so close to the spider that we could not 

 understand why she did not see it. At last it was re- 

 covered, and again she started off. We tried to follow 

 her, but the vines were so thick that, in spite of our 

 efforts, she soon disappeared into the undiscovered 

 country which we had thus far been unable to penetrate. 

 Up to this time we had been entirely unable to under- 

 stand the actions of marginatus, and each new example 

 added to our confusion instead of clearing it away. 

 We were inclined to think that she never made a nest 

 for herself, but caught her spider and then hurried 

 about for a good place to store it, and that her absurd 



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