66 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



in the woods, perhaps was born in the 

 hollow of a tree, as one can with a house- 

 hold pet. Neither do the wasps of the 

 forest become friendly like those of the 

 wayside. 



A yellow-jacket's nest was once built in 

 the ground on a vacant lot in a large city. 

 People constantly passed within three feet 

 of it, and mischievous boys had stoned the 

 entrance to the nest until there was a little 

 mound of stones to mark the spot. The 

 wasps rushed out when stoned and stung 

 the boys, but they never molested a 

 passer-by under ordinary circumstances. 

 Indeed one could stand close to the nest 

 and watch them hurrying in and out, 

 whizzing past one's head back and forth, 

 showing no resentment and paying no 

 attention to their visitor. 



If one wishes the sensation of taking a 

 live hornet in the hand, it can be safely 

 done by putting a drop of syrup on the 

 end of the finger and oifering it to a 



