THE MASONS 211 



vitals before the little spinner knows what 

 has happened. Sometimes Pelopaeus in 

 her extremity darts at an empty web, as if 

 hoping against hope that some toothsome 

 spider might be lurking near. 



The mud-daubers sometimes close the 

 end of an empty cell until they are ready 

 to fill it. This is evidently done to keep 

 out trespassers. 



A very amusing quarrel was once 

 watched between two mud-daubers that 

 both wanted the same cluster of cells. 

 Whether they had built the cells in com- 

 mon, or whether one had built them and 

 the other had decided it was easier to 

 occupy them than to build some for her- 

 self, is unknown. 



But at the time they were discovered 

 one was sitting on the nest, evidently 

 waiting to pounce upon the other. When- 

 ever Number Two appeared. Number One 

 would "go for'' her, and a lively skirmish 

 would ensue, Number One holding the 



