WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



smoothing the debris all around, so that the opening 

 presented much the appearance of an immense ant-hill, 

 only the particles were much larger. During the first 

 hour that we watched her she frequently turned directly 

 toward us, and, sometimes remaining on the ground and 

 sometimes rising on her wings to a level with our faces, 

 appeared to be eyeing us intently for four or five seconds. 

 Her attitude was comical, and she seemed to be saying, 

 "Well, what are you hanging around here for?" 7 



As the afternoon wore on she worked more calmly 

 and her fidgety and excited manner disappeared, the 

 excavation progressing steadily until half-past three. 

 At that time she came out and walked slowly about in 

 front of her nest and all around it. Then she rose and 

 circled just above it, gradually widening her flight, now 

 going further afield and now flying in and out among 

 the plants and bushes in the immediate vicinity. The 

 detailed survey of every little object near her nest was 

 remarkable ; and not until her tour of observation had 

 carried her five times entirely around the spot did she 

 appear satisfied and fly away. All her actions showed 

 that she was studying the locality and getting her bear- 

 ings before taking her departure. A fact that impressed 

 us very much was that with the two nests that she had 

 begun and then deserted she had taken no such precau- 



58 



