THE EUMENIDAE 305 



we saw the wasp carrying in caterpillars, we suspected 

 that it was her first cell that she was provisioning. 



The top soil in that place was black loam to a depth of 

 one- fourth inch, while the subsoil was of red clay. The 

 basal half of the turret was made of black earth and the 

 upper half of red clay, and all of the pellets strewn about 

 were of red clay. This color-arrangement proves that 

 the wasp begins, immediately upon commencing her bur- 

 row, to construct her turret out of the first soil excavated, 

 and adds the deeper mouthfuls of clay, in their turn, higher 

 on the turret until the required size is attained (or the re- 

 quired amount of material reserved), and throws away the 

 remaining pellets taken out of the chamber or such por- 

 tions of the nest as will not need to be refilled with earth. 

 This chimney was of the standard form and dimensions. 



The proprietress was carrying in caterpillars. The first 

 one was procured in five minutes, and the second one in 

 twenty-five minutes. While she was gone we made a scratch 

 on the surface of the ground to help us to locate the nest. 

 This confused or alarmed her so that she flew about for 

 several minutes before entering. Finally she ventured into 

 the nest but flew out again and away, carrying her cater- 

 pillar with her. Not until a half -hour had elapsed did she 

 return, and then she came empty-handed. Once more she 

 entered her hole and flew out again uneasily, and began 

 to dismember the turret, pellet by pellet, and carry the clay 

 into the hole. We have noted previously how they plug up 

 their holes by removing all of the turret and carrying it 

 in for filler, so we thought that she was now doing the 

 same, although we were surprised that she should finally 

 seal up the tunnel, when apparently only one cell was fin- 

 ished below. When about one-fourth of her chimney had 

 been taken down we caught her to make sure of her iden- 

 tity and proceeded to open the burrow. Great was our sur- 



