218 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



dently feeling that the half-grown larva 

 was a lost wasp anyway, she wasted no 

 time on it, but relentlessly walled it up, 

 or rather floored it over, with not a spider 

 to stay its appetite, and proceeded to build 

 another cell above it. 



The pupa, however, she covered over 

 with mud, reproducing its lost cell as well 

 as she could, doubtless feeling that all it 

 needed was to have the cold air kept out, 

 in order to surmount its misfortunes and 

 in time fulfil its destiny. 



When a mud-dauber begins to provision 

 with one species of spider, it continues 

 with the same species, and even selects 

 subjects all of a size as nearly as possible. 

 Thus the inside of the nest presents a very 

 orderly, and were it not for prejudice, 

 appetising appearance. 



The mud-wasp's habit of provisioning 

 her cell with insects gave rise to a 

 strange superstition in China, and also in 

 India. 



