THE CARPENTERS 239 



clever but thievish experiment by which 

 its infancy was so well nourished at so 

 little cost to its mother. 



These little green chryses are so quick 

 in their movements that it is extremely 

 difficult to catch them even with a net. 

 They are outlaws by nature, and have the 

 craft and fleetness acquired by outlaws, 

 whether those picturesque products of 

 nature are human or hymenopteran. 



Their brilliant dress flashing in the sun 

 betrays these wicked Robin Hoods at a 

 glance, but they are bold and fearless, and 

 wear their glistening attire with as devil- 

 may-care a grace as did the outlaws of the 

 greenwood of old. 



The wasps chisel out a separate hole for 

 each egglaid, and about an equal number 

 of both sexes are hatched, as is the case 

 with nearly all the solitary wasps. 



The males, as is true of most wasps, 

 soon die, leaving their mates to carry on 

 the affairs of the family. 



