WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



teristic covering. Such cases are probably due to indi- 

 vidual variation or perhaps to atavism, this throwing 

 back being not uncommon among forms that are well 

 known. 



Not all of the instinctive acts here enumerated are 

 displayed by each species studied, although they are 

 common to most of them. We have doubtless overlooked 

 some activities that should come under this head, as 

 we have not made a thorough study of any sufficient 

 number of species to make a final settlement of the 

 matter. 



As we have seen with Ammophila and Pelopaeus, 

 faults of instinct are not uncommon, but of all our wasps 

 the one that shows the greatest aberrations is Pompilus 

 biguttatus. The sandy beach of Lake Michigan is a 

 favorite nesting-ground with this species, and is the 

 scene of many a bold robbery, since they are unprin- 

 cipled little wretches and 



"... the good old rule 



Sufficeth them, the simple plan 



That they should take who have the power 



And they should keep who can." 



We once found an unusually tiny biguttatus vainly 

 trying to drag a large Epeirid which her sting had re- 

 duced to helplessness. It was as though a feeble child 



298 



