The Mason-Wasps 



biological details entirely new to me, I took 

 good care not to raise the experimental ob- 

 stacles which I should not fail to set in the 

 path of instinct to-day: a good nest was the 

 sole object that I coveted. Therefore, so 

 far from creating fresh difficulties for the 

 Pelopaeus, I did my utmost to reduce those 

 which she had to overcome. I raked the 

 fire, making it much smaller, so as to de- 

 crease the volume of smoke in the Wasp's 

 building-yard; and for a good two hours 

 I watched her diving through the cloud. 

 Next day, the usual niggardly fire was burn- 

 ing intermittently; and there was nothing 

 now to hamper the Pelopaeus, who con- 

 tinued her work for some days and without 

 further impediment completed the well- 

 filled nest which was the object of my 

 wishes. 



Never again, in the forty years that fol- 

 lowed, was my fireplace honoured with such 

 a visit; and it was only by having recourse 

 to the more fortunate hearths of my neigh- 

 bours that I was able to glean my little bit 

 of information. Nor was it until much 

 later that, profiting by long experience, I 

 had the idea of turning to account the 

 predilection of so many Bees and Wasps 

 for their birthplace and for founding a 

 66 



