THE MINERS 295 



without otherwise injuring the insect. 

 The object of stinging seems to have been, 

 in the beginning, to render the insect 

 quiet, and from this starting-point we find 

 all degrees of completeness in paralysing 

 the food among the dilTerent species. 



While most of the earth-boring species 

 provision the nest once for all and close it 

 up, we find some that put in. only what 

 food the larva requires at the time, and 

 from day to day open the nest and replen- 

 ish the store. These care for the young 

 after the manner of the social wasps, but 

 without the conveniences of the communal 

 society composed largely of workers. They 

 seem to exist in an intermediate stage be- 

 tween the social wasps and the perfected 

 diggers. 



The fossorial wasps, having no home to 

 which to retire, as the paper-makers have, 

 are possessed of a more roving disposition, 

 and are particularly fond of flying about in 

 the warm sunshine. Many of them have 



