158 THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



that grew four inches away. Into this she finally vanished^ 

 and peering curiously among the greenery, we discovered her 

 hanging to a leaf, which was sheltered by thick foliage on all 

 sides. Here she remained motionless and probably fast asleep 

 until sundo^vn, when we left her for the night. 



When we went to the garden at eight o'clock on the follow- 

 ing morning, scelestiis was still sound asleep in her leafy bower. 

 We thought it best to awaken her, for a large Agalena na^via 

 had spread her web just below, and if the wasp should drop upon 

 it nothing could save her. We therefore aroused her gently, 

 whereupon she crept slowly up the stem and taking her stand 

 on the highest point, surveyed the world. Then, after stretch- 

 ing herself sleepily, she made her toilet, cleaning off her wdngs 

 and legs, and washing her face with her feet like a cat. When 

 these duties were finished she walked slowly about for an hour, 

 visiting her nest every now and then. Suddenly, at half past 

 nine o'clock, her whole manner changed, and seeming very 

 much excited she ran rapidly along, parallel with the fence, 

 for fifteen or twenty feet, and then, rising on her wings, flew 

 far away into the woods. She had evidently gone hunting at 

 last, and we watched eagerly for her return. She was not suc- 

 cessful at once, however, for at half past ten she came back 

 without anything, stayed at the nest for a few minutes, and 

 then flew to the woods again with the same excited manner as- 

 before. Perhaps she had already caught her spider at some 

 far distant spot, and was getting her bearings preparatory to 

 bringing it home, but it was half past one when she suddenly 

 appeared, five or six inches from the nest, coming backward 

 through the fence, and dragging a large Lycosid. This she 

 laid down close by, and began to bite at the legs quite after 

 the manner of the wasp we had seen the year before. Her 

 movements were full of nei'V'Ous excitement, in marked contrast 

 to those of the previous day. Presently she Avent to look at 

 her nest and seemed to be struck with a thought that had al- 

 ready occurred to us — that it was decidedly too small to hold 

 the spider. Back she went for another survey of her bulky 



