POLISTES 179 



it could not be observed. By morning 

 the ungrateful larva had retired from 

 view. 



The next, however, rewarded its nurse's 

 patient care by beginning operations in the 

 middle of the afternoon under her very 

 eyes, and as she watched the dainty weaver 

 she felt fully repaid for three weeks' unre- 

 mitting administration of syrup and tgg in 

 toothpick portions. 



First the larva lined its cell, turning its 

 head down under its body, and also turn- 

 ing around and around in the cell. 



Then it began to build the cell walls 

 higher, for the wasps, in anger or despair or 

 for some other reason, had chewed down 

 the edges of its cell before they were re- 

 moved, so that it was not long enough to 

 contain a full-grown wasp. 



The hand fed larva knew this, and so it 

 laboriously spun a top story to its room, 

 and then built over its head the prettiest 

 rounded dome of snow-white silk. 



