228 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



extent whenever these fragile structures 

 are taken as specimens. 



Each devouring infant having a cell of 

 provisions to itself, it cannot eat the mem- 

 bers of its own family, and it cannot get 

 more than its own share of food. 



Different species of mud-wasps are found 

 in different parts of the world, and Mr. 

 Bates in his " The Naturalist on the River 

 Amazon," tells an interesting story of 

 one he became familiar with in South 

 America. He says, — 



" The shallow pits, excavated in the 

 marly soil at Mahica, were very attractive 

 to many kinds of mason-bees and wasps, 

 who make use of the clay to build their 

 nest with. 



"The most conspicuous was a large 

 yellow-and-black wasp, with a remarkably 

 long and narrow waist, the Pelop^us fistu- 

 laris. It collected the clay in little round 

 pellets, which it carried off, after rolling 

 them into a convenient shape in its man- 



