ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, WITH EXAMPLES 201 



deposited in this nest; it was found in its usual situation, laid 

 under the front of the thorax of one of the male cone-heads, and 

 probably the last grasshopper stored. Summarizing the facts 

 above given, the wasp just referred to had stored five grass- 

 hoppers in its first nest and four in the next, using, in all, nine 

 victims for her larder. 



The Habits of the Green Meadow Grasshopper 



In the early part of September, I caught several pairs of 

 the green meadow grasshopper, Orchelimum glaherrimum, in a 

 meadow among some coarse plants. After keeping them alive 

 under observation for several days in a large vivarium jar, 

 they were allowed the freedom of flowers on the centre table 

 in my room. I found these insects very wild at first, but they 

 afterwards became tamed and (piite adjusted to the indoor 

 surroundings. The means used in taming them were gentle 

 treatment, an occasional supply of water for drinking, and 

 plenty of picked plants in blossom for foraging. The latter 

 were often replenished and kept fresh and green. On Sep- 

 tember sixth, a female was noticed exhiliiting rather restless 

 actions among the loosely spread stems of one of the bouquets 

 of flowers supplied her and soon afterward I found her ovi- 

 positing in a stem of the burr marigold. The method of lay- 

 ing her eggs was thereafter studied and found to be of such 

 peculiar interest that a detailed account is here offered. 



Before selecting the marigold as the proper plant for her 

 immediate needs, Orchelimum tested a number of different 

 kinds of plants by biting the stems. It was curious to see 

 how quickly a decision was arrived at when she was engaged 

 in the search. Grass, for instance, or other kinds of plants 

 distasteful to her, were either ignored entirely or else subjected 

 to a brief testing with the mouth. After jumping from plant 

 to plant and going up and down in the quest, the coveted stem 

 was found. She then started very vigorous biting, moving 

 her head from side to side in an endeavor to get a stronger 

 hold with her jaws. A gash into the outer layer of the stem 

 was soon made, about an eighth of an inch in length, the insect 

 finally going back over the course of the incision with the evident 



