The Mason-Wasps 



Why do I linger over a petty detail which 

 the famous historian of the Odyneri tells in 

 half-a-dozen words? A petty detail? It 

 is nothing of the kind; on the contrary, it is 

 a circumstance of paramount importance. 

 And this is why : the egg is laid at the back, 

 necessitating an empty cell which will be 

 victualled after the egg is laid. The 

 provisions are now stored, piece by piece, 

 layer upon layer, in front of the egg; the 

 cell is crammed with game right up to the 

 entrance, which in the end is sealed. 



Of all these pieces, the obtaining of 

 which may take several days, which are the 

 earliest in point of date? Those nearest 

 the egg. Which are the latest? Those by 

 the entrance. Now it is obvious be- 

 sides, it may be proved, if necessary, by di- 

 rect observation it is obvious, I say, that 

 the heaped worms lose strength from day 

 to day. The effects of a prolonged fast 

 would be enough to produce this result, to 

 say nothing of the disorders due to a wound 

 which becomes worse as time goes on. The 

 larva born at the back of the cell has there- 

 fore beside it, in its first youth, the less 

 dangerous provisions, the oldest in date and 

 consequently the feeblest. As it works its 

 way through the heap, it finds more recent 

 52 



