CO Bulletin Wisconsin Natural History Society. [Vol. 9, Nos. 1-2. 



or pad adhering to the door sill and a short perpendicular petiole 



leading from it and opening into the first cell. The pad and petiole 



were of the same substance as the cells. 



The observations were commenced on the 17 of May, the 



nest being well established ; the queen was then watcned daily 



until the first workers appeared. On this date, all five nests were 



approximately in the same stage of construction, consisting of ten 



completed cells, each cell containing a single egg. They varied, 



however, in general appearance, in shape and relative size, and 



in situation, being from three to twenty feet up from the ground 



but all were hanging downward and all were under cover, under 



the eaves or in the doorway, so as to be more or less protected 



from the weather. The observations follow as recorded from 



Mav 20, 1909: 



May 20, 1909: — The female remained on top of the small nest 



throughout the previous night, up until 10:30 a. m. today when she 

 left, not returning until afternoon; she was present again at 1:20 

 p. m.. but so far as could be told, she had not altered anything about 

 the nest nor did she appear to be engaged in any particular opera- 

 tions. She left again at 1:44 p. m.. returning at 2:10 p. m.. appar- 

 ently carrying nothing and she made three more similar trips away 

 during the afternoon. The rest of the time she remained at rest on 

 top of the nest. Day cloudy and cool until 11 a. m., then fair and 

 warmer. The female remained on the nest during the night. 



May 21 : — Observing from 6 a. m., she remained on the nest until 

 5:30 p. m., and from then throughout the coming night; at 5:35 p. m. 

 she made a careful examination of the nest, for this purpose inserting 

 her head entirely within some of the cells, feeling upward with the 

 extended antennas. During most of the day she was at rest in her 

 usual position on top of the nest beside the petiole. Fair and cool, 

 gradually clearing after 3 p. m. 



May 22: — The queen left the nest the first time today at 10:45 

 a. m. and made occasional trips away during the entire day. Beginning 

 a new cell. Fair and slightly warmer. 



May 23: — At 10:47 a. m. today she left for the first time, after 

 carefully examining each of the cells. By 5 p. m. the new (11th) cell 

 was about five-sixths completed, that is, about five-sixths the 

 present size of the others, and an egg had been deposited about a 

 third the distance down from its apex in the usual position, that is. 



