WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



when she soars gayly into the blue, the sunshine flashing 

 from her brilliant wings ; we too have felt the delight of 

 health and freedom. She is still comprehensible when, 

 at the close of day, she and her sisters quarrel for the 

 favorite sleeping-places among the carvings of the porch 

 pillars ; but we cannot follow her mental processes 

 when, at the moment of building, she surrenders herself 

 to the mysterious sway of instinct, doing she knows not 

 what, but doing it joyously, and preserving through it all 

 the precious possession of her own individuality. Every 

 aspect speaks of pleasure as these wasps gather at well 

 or spring, and, singing contentedly, stand on their heads 

 to gather their loads of mud. Briskly and gayly they 

 fly back and forth, pausing at the nest long enough to 

 pat the soft building material into shape. A single load 

 makes half a ring at the larger part of the nest or a 

 whole one at the bottom ; and since one dries before the 

 next is put on, the contour of each ring is visible when 

 the tube is done, giving a very artistic effect. This is 

 only accident, however ; the wasp cares nothing about 

 the beauty of the structure, for her next step is to daub 

 the whole with lumps of mud, the walls being thus 

 thickened and strengthened. About forty loads are 

 necessary for each cell, and to build and provision one 

 is a good day's work. 



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