THE MINERS 279 



smaller pebble, perhaps an eighth of an 

 inch in diameter, and then, standing more 

 nearly erect, with the front feet folded 

 beneath her, she pressed down the dust all 

 over and about the opening, smoothing off 

 the surface, and accompanying the action 

 with a peculiar rasping sound. After all 

 this was done, and she spent several min- 

 utes each time in thus stamping the earth, 

 so that only a keen eye could detect any 

 abrasion of the surface, she laid aside the 

 little pebble and flew away, to be gone 

 some minutes. 



" Upon her return she bore a large green 

 larva, and laying it down near the door, 

 she opened her carefully closed burrow, 

 dragged in her prize and sealed it up as 

 carefully as before, again using the little 

 pebble to pound down the surface. This 

 laborious operation was repeated several 

 times until the requisite number of larvae 

 had been stored. Once the observer varied 

 the routine by taking away the little peb- 



