WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



flew away, remaining out of sight for fifteen minutes, 

 then another return, more circlings and hesitations. She 

 seemed to feel the weight of the beetle now, and alighted 

 frequently on the ground and walked about; yet she 

 would not go in, so reluctant was she to betray her nest. 

 In this way she kept us waiting for a whole hour, 

 although we were not very near to her, and were as 

 still as statues. At last we retreated, and stood as far 

 back as we could and still keep the hole in view. She 

 now came closer, and, after hanging poised on her wings 

 for a moment, dropped into her nest. 



We once found a nest of this species in process of con- 

 struction. A large heap of fresh earth had been pushed 

 out, which entirely covered the spot; but at intervals 

 there were upheavals from below which betrayed the 

 presence of the wasp. When we saw it first it was half 

 past eight o'clock, and we judged, from what had been 

 accomplished, that she must have been at work at least 

 an hour. It was half past nine before the excavation was 

 complete. We had not been certain, up to this time, as 

 to what we were watching; but now we had the pleasure 

 of seeing her open her doorway from below and stand 

 in the entrance while she washed her face with her fore 

 feet, like a cat. When they rest at the mouth of the hole 

 the first legs, which are yellow, are bowed in a semi- 

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