216 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



heart of Number One, who continued her 

 labours zealously; and next morning the 

 cell was found closed for good, with a 

 cap of mud of much darker colour than 

 that of which the rest of the cell was 

 built. 



Mud-daubers' nests are often built of 

 several shades of mud, sometimes one set 

 of cells being curiously patched with light 

 and dark colours. Sometimes the nests 

 are built of sand, held together, perhaps, 

 by a secretion from the wasp's mouth, 

 and once a cluster of nests was found, in 

 which four were composed of white plas- 

 ter, this material the wasps having recog- 

 nised and appropriated as an admirable 

 material for nest-making. 



In the red-clay country of the Carolinas 

 the nests are bright red, and make very 

 pretty decorations to the interiors of the 

 houses; at least, so think some people. 

 Others hold another opinion, and fall upon 

 these red nests and break them to pieces, 



