TAME WASP. 315 



absence. The next morning this wasp was the first to 

 visit the honey. 



I was not able to watch any of the above-mentioned 

 wasps for more than a few days, but I kept a specimen 

 of Polistes gallica for no less than nine months. 



I took her, with her nest, in the Pyrenees, early in 

 May. The nest consisted of about twenty cells, the 

 majority of which contained an egg ; but as yet no 

 grubs had been hatched out, and, of com'se, my wasp 

 was as yet alone in the world. 



I had no difficulty in inducing her to feed on my 

 hand ; but at first she was shy and nervous. She kept 

 her sting in constant readiness ; and once or twice in 

 the train, when the railway ofiicials came for tickets, 

 and I was compelled to hm-ry her back into her bottle, 

 she stung me slightly — I think, however, entirely from 

 fright. 



Gradually she became quite used to me, and when 

 I took her on my hand apparently expected to be fed. 

 She even allowed me to stroke her without any appear- 

 ance of fear, and for some months I never saw her 

 sting. 



When the cold weather came on she fell into a 

 drowsy state, and I began to hope she would hibernate 

 and survive the winter. I kept her in a dark place, but 

 watched her carefully, and fed her if ever she seemed 

 at all restless. 



She came out occasionally, and seemed as well as 

 usual till near the end of February, when one day I 



