The Hallcti : a Parasite 



domen with alternate black and pale-russet 

 scarves. Her slender shape, her size, which 

 equals that of the Common Wasp, her simple 

 and pretty dress combine to make her the chief 

 representative of the genus here. 



She establishes her galleries in firm soil, 

 where there is no danger of landslips which 

 would interfere with the work at nesting-time. 

 In my garden, the well-levelled paths, made 

 of a mixture of tiny pebbles and red clayey 

 earth, suits her to perfection. Every spring 

 she takes possession of it, never alone, but in 

 gangs whose number varies greatly, amount- 

 ing sometimes to as many as a hundred. In 

 this way she founds what may be described 

 as small townships, each clearly marked out 

 and distant from the others, in which the joint 

 possession of the site in no way entails joint 

 work. 



Each has her home, an inviolable manor 

 which none but the owner has the right to en- 

 ter. A sound buffeting would soon call to 

 order any adventuress who dared to make her 

 way into another's dwelling. No such indis- 

 cretion is suffered among the Halicti. Let 

 each keep to her own place and to herself and 

 perfect peace will reign in this new-formed 



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