SEVERAL LITTLE WASPS 



the side of the cell about one third of the way down, and 

 in the nest of conformis, from which all but one of the 

 caterpillars had fallen, it hung loose against the wall. 

 In the other nests the lower part was packed 

 tightly with sixteen small larvae, upon which 

 lay the egg, supported in a horizontal posi- 

 tion, although attached to the side wall ex- 

 actly as in conformis, and above were eight 

 more caterpillars, the whole forming a com- 

 pact mass shut in by the usual partition of 

 mud. So closely were they crammed in that 

 after counting them we were unable to get 

 them all back again, and although motion- 

 less in their narrow quarters they became NEST OF 



ANORMIS 



quite active when relieved from pressure. 

 This is an entirely different arrangement from that of 

 O. reniformis, and since the larva is in contact with the 

 caterpillars from the moment of hatching the manner 

 of the egg-laying has no significance in relation to the 

 safety of the young. 



Conformis hatched on the morning after we received 

 it, sloughing off the skin of the egg, but remaining at- 

 tached to it, and thus doubling the length of the thread 

 by which it hung. The caterpillar was slightly separated 

 from it, and it seemed to have no notion of feeling about 



