The Mason-Wasps 



For a moment, the awakened larva swings 

 its head to and fro: it is blind and is trying 

 to feel the pap brought to it. The two 

 mouths meet; a drop of syrup passes from 

 the nurse's mouth to the nurseling's. That 

 is enough for the moment. Now for the 

 next. The Wasp moves on, to continue her 

 duties elsewhere. 



The larva, on its side, licks the base of its 

 neck for a few seconds. There is here, at 

 the moment when the grub is being served 

 with food, a sort of projecting bib, a tempo- 

 rary dewlap which forms a porringer and 

 receives what trickles from the lips. After 

 swallowing the bulk of the ration, the larva 

 finishes its meal by gathering up the crumbs 

 which have fallen on its bib. Then the 

 swelling disappears; and the grub, withdraw- 

 ing a little way into its cell, resumes its sweet 

 slumbers. 



The better to watch this curious fashion 

 of eating, I happen by good luck to have a 

 few powerful Hornet-larvae. I slip them 

 singly into paper sheaths, which will repre- 

 sent their natal cells. Thus swaddled, my 

 fat babies lend themselves excellently to ob- 

 servation when I myself distribute their 

 rations. 



In my young days, we had a trick of tap- 

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