30 Observations on an Australian Mud Dauber etc. 



the cells may vary considerably in shape. The second cell was nearly completed 

 at 10.51 a. m. but it lacked the rim or neck of the entrance. This was completed 

 at 11.14 a. m., and the wasp then flew off This second cell was broader and 

 shorter than the first, shaped more like a loaf of bread, somewhat longer than 

 wide and with the ends of the longer axis more or less truncately rounded off. 

 Thus, even the individual cells made by the same female may viwy considerably. 

 When leaving, after completion of the cell, the wasp flew off in a direction 

 divergent from that of the regulär flights during building. 



She had not returned by noon but at 1.30 p. m. it was noticed that at 

 least one Caterpillar had been added to the cell; it remained open during the 

 rest of the day and the following night. A second caterpillar was added at 

 11.30 a m., June 20 but I did not see others added and the cell again remained 

 open during the night (the day was windy and cloudy, rather cool). On June 21, 

 the mother wasp was first noticed at 10 o'clock; she was on the nest and was 

 friglitened by my movements near the nest remaining ,.alert" and still for some 

 time. After she left, I could not see that anything had been added to the second 

 cell. At 4.20 p. m. the latter was found to have been closed and a third begun. 

 above and against it. Only the two end sides were built up in the shape of 

 crescents; the female had stopped work for the day. June 22 was rainy, windy 

 and chiliy and no work was done. June 23 at 4 o'clock, I found that the third 

 cell had been completed, though the day was rainy throughout. except for short 

 intervals near noon. The cell was empty. June 24 was clearer, fair and warm; 

 the mother wasp was observed to put a caterpillar in cell 3 at obout 10 a. m ; 

 she paid it out through her fore legs, using the mandibles as formerly observed. 

 Another caterpillar, which filled the cell, was added at four o'clock and soon 

 afterward the cell was capped 



At 4.20 p. m., it was noticed that a fourth dell had been commenced above 

 the third, the end walls raised first, at that time not very high At 5.35, she was 

 still at work on cell 4 which was nearing completion; at this time, she was visi- 

 ting an entirely different spot for building material. Cell 4 was not quite com- 

 pleted today but at 8.30 the following morning (June 25). it was finished excep- 

 ting the neck; later, it was found that the latter was not added, the round en- 

 trance hole merely being slightly rimined, not a distinct flange as usuai: this is 

 another Variation. By 10.15 a. m. June 25 a caterpillar had been added to cell 4. 



A fifth cell was constructed between 2 and 5 p. m. June 25, with the usual 

 neck but the latter not so large as usual. This cell remained empty and open 

 during the night following but was filled the next day and closed about 6 p. m. 

 On June 27 at 8.40 a. m . the female began a sixth cell above and against cell 

 5; all six cells are in a single row against the wooden joist, side to side. Cell 

 6 was completed by 10 a. m. (at least; not actual timej. At 3 30 p m. June 28, 

 cell 6 was found to have been recently closed and a seventh cell partly con- 

 structed beside and against it. When completed, this cell had no rimming at 

 all about the entrance. It was left open during the night though it contained 

 at least one caterpillar; the wasp was not on or near the nest at 10 p. m. and 

 evidently spends the night elsewhere At 2 p. m. June 29, the seventh cell was 

 found to have been closed (since 1 p. m.) and an eighth begun above it and 

 against the joist. as with the others. This cell was completed by 3.30 p. m. or 

 sooner and had no rimnied entrance. By 4.40 p. m. it was füll but nevertheless 

 was left open during the following night (the wasp being absent). During the 

 following morning it was closed; unlike the Sce/tpli?-on, this wasp does not close 

 its partly filled cells before leaving the nest for the night; the day of June 30 

 was occupied in building a ninth cell which was stocked and closed by 6 p. m. 

 (at 4.30 p. m. it had only been partly stocked); this cell was against and above 

 cell 8. Juiy 1, the molher wasp contiiiued building whenever the rain ceased, 

 completing a tenth cell above and against cell nine; she commenced to work at 

 about 8.Ö0 a m.; cell 10 was completed at about 3.30 p. m.; it had no rim about 

 the entrance. It remained open (and empty) during the night and was filled 

 during the morning of JuIy 2 and closed at 10.45 a. m. After this, the female 

 wasp daubed pellets of mud over the nest for a short while and then began an 

 eleventh cell above the tenth and still in the same place; this cell was finished 

 at about 1 p. m. and though partly filled during the afternoon it was left open 

 the following night (with untoward consequences as we shall see). At 8.30 a m. 

 July 3, the open eleventh cell was found to have been invaded by ants (this 

 doubtless explains why Sceliphrov cewentariiis closes its partly filled cells at night, 



