THE MINERS 261 



That wasps are possessed of strong 

 maternal feeling can be shown by inter- 

 fering with their unfinished nests, when 

 their distress lest misfortune overtake their 

 eggs appears as great as that of many 

 creatures whose progeny is about them, 

 needing their personal care. 



Once the nest of Sphex ichneumonea 

 was dug up before the mother had quite 

 finished filling the entrance with earth. 

 The marauders, who wished to examine 

 the contents of the nest, say, — 



" We had not supposed that the digging 

 up of her nest would much disturb our 

 Sphex, since her connection with it was so 

 nearly at an end, but in this we were mis- 

 taken. When we returned to the garden 

 about half an hour after we had done the 

 deed, we heard her loud and anxious hum- 

 ming from a distance. She was searching 

 far and near for her treasure-house, return- 

 ing every few minutes to the right spot, 

 although the upturned earth had entirely 



