WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



half of this big one, however, and then passed on. On 

 August second we gave it two more small crickets, and 

 for that day and the one following its good appetite 

 continued, but on August fourth it stopped eating. We 

 thought that its larval life must be completed, and ex- 

 pected to see it spin its cocoon, but something was lack- 

 ing which we were too ignorant to supply, and on August 

 fifth it died. It had eaten six small crickets and half of 

 the large one, which was equal to about two more. Thus 

 ended our only acquaintance with this interesting little 

 wasp. 



The second week of August furnished such good play 

 in our garden that island Hfe was neglected; but one 

 briUiant morning we rowed over to the home of Bembex 

 and Philanthus, hoping that something new was in store 

 for us. We were not disappointed, for as we climbed the 

 crest we met a splendid Chlorion coeruleum dressed in 

 shining blue, cricket in mouth, plunging down the hill- 

 side through the long grass. Twenty-five feet below, 

 she reached her underground home, vanished for two 

 or three minutes, and then, coming to the entrance, 

 turned her head from side to side as though listening. 

 Some indiscreet insect was chirping loudly not far away, 

 and before long the wasp ran out into the grass, flew to 

 a stump, dropped to the ground, flew to the top of a tall 



256 



