270 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



"After making a gallery two or three 

 inches in length, in a slanting direction 

 from the surface, the owner backs out, 

 and takes a few turns round the orifice, 

 apparently to see whether it is well made, 

 but in reality, I believe, to take note of the 

 locality, that she may find it again. This 

 done, the busy workwoman flies away; 

 but returns, after an absence varying in 

 difi^erent cases from a few minutes to an 

 hour or more, with a fly in her grasp, 

 with which she re-enters her mine. On 

 again emerging, the entrance is carefully 

 closed with sand. ... I have said that 

 the Bembex on leaving her mine, took 

 note of the locality ; this seemed to be the 

 explanation of the short delay previous to 

 her taking flight ; on rising in the air, also, 

 the insects generally flew round over the 

 place before making straight ofl^. Another 

 nearly allied, but much larger species, the 

 Monedula signata, whose habits I observed 

 on the banks of the Upper Amazons, 



