WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



response to stimulation and never revived, a very careful 

 examination later showing that it was quite dead. 



On the next morning we again saw this wasp on the 

 Bembex field. She was looking for a nesting-place, and 

 when she had selected one she began to work ; the 

 weather was warm and sunny, so that the Bembecids 

 were in the full swing of their obstreperous activity, and 

 perhaps resenting the presence of the little red wasp, or 

 perhaps in a spirit of teasing, they kept snatching her 

 up and carrying her off to a distance of two or three 

 feet. She took these interruptions with the most phi- 

 losophic composure, hurrying back to her work as soon 

 as she was released, without any display of resentment. 

 When the nest was finished, she made a careful locality 

 study both on foot and on the wing and then flew away. 

 In twenty minutes she came back, apparently to re- 

 fresh her memory, for she again made careful notes of 

 all the points that could help her to identify the place. 

 She dug a little more and then departed, to return five 

 minutes later, on foot, with a grasshopper. In spite of 

 all the precautions she had taken, at this exciting mo- 

 ment she was unable to remember just where her nest 

 was, and spent some time in running wildly about, but 

 when she did find it she went in without delay. We 

 caught her as she came out, and dug up the grasshopper, 



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