234 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



flew away a few feet, and dropped it ; then 

 she returned and gnawed out another fibre, 

 or else cut little bits like fine saw-dust. 



She always crept into her hole head first, 

 and backed out tail first, losing no time 

 and wasting no energy in superfluous 

 motions. And she always flew away with 

 her chips, and dropped them some distance 

 from her door. 



Had she littered up her doorway, the 

 traces of her labour might have betrayed 

 her to the enemy. 



For there is always an enemy lying in 

 wait for the miners. 



This enemy is an exceedingly beautiful 



little rascal about as large as a house-fly, 



^*=^ and of a brilliant metallic green. 



^^^^.^y^^^^^^ It, too, belongs to the Order 



^-".^j:-^-^ Hyji^enoptera, though it is not at 



the wasp end of that division. 



It is a Chrysis fly, that, instead of mak- 

 ing a nest for itself, dogs the miner wasps, 

 and watches with interest the progress of 



