The Odyneri 



Wasp has given the tube a length which she 

 considers sufficient, you see her simply ar- 

 rive at the opening to the tube, put her 

 head beyond its edge and forthwith drop 

 her pellet, which falls to the ground. In 

 this way I have often observed a quantity 

 of rubbish at the foot of certain holes. 



44 The object for which the hole is pierced 

 in a solid mass of mortar or sand cannot 

 appear in doubt: it is plainly intended to re- 

 ceive an egg, together with a store of food- 

 stuffs. But we do not so easily see to what 

 end the mother has built the mortar shaft. 

 By continuing to follow her labours, we 

 shall discover that it means to her what a 

 stack of well-laid stones means to the 

 masons building a wall. Not the whole of 

 the tunnel which she has excavated is in- 

 tended as a lodging for the larva which will 

 be born inside; a portion will be quite 

 enough. Yet it was necessary that the hole 

 should be dug to a certain depth, in order 

 that the larva may not find itself exposed to 

 too great a heat when the sun's rays fall 

 on the outer layer of sand. It will occupy 

 only the end of the tunnel. The mother 

 knows what space she must leave vacant 

 and this space she retains; but she fills up 

 all the remainder and replaces in the upper 

 41 



