376 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



The same writer noticed a remarkable instance of ingenuity in 

 these insects. An empty ink-bottle, about an inch and a half in 

 length, lay on the table. The neck of this bottle was one day 

 seen to be stopped up with a substance like white pipe-clay, and 

 when this was broken, the bottle was found to be stored with spi- 

 ders. The fact was, that a Pelopeeus had spied out the bottle, and 

 thought that she had a fine opportunity of providing a home for 

 her young without troubling herself to build a regular nest. A 

 day or two afterward, the Dauber returned to see after the nest, 

 and finding that it had been disturbed, she entered the bottle, 

 took out all the spiders, replaced them with fresh specimens, and 

 then reclosed the mouth. It is evident from this fact that the in- 

 sect does not entirely abandon her young when she has completed 

 and closed the nest. 



Another curious discovery was also made while watching the 

 Pelopasus. If the reader will refer to the illustration, he will see 

 that the abdomen of the insect is supported on a very long and 

 slender peduncle, or footstalk. Mr. Gosse was naturally anxious 

 to discover how the insect could draw the abdomen out of the 

 pupal skin when it came to change into its perfect condition. On 

 examining some specimens, he discovered the curious fact that 

 the pupal envelope did not sit closely to the body, but that it was 

 as wide in the middle as at either end, so that when the insect 

 came to assume its perfect form, the peduncle was quite loose in 

 the centre of the envelope, and the abdomen could be drawn out 

 without any difficulty. 



These observations are peculiarly valuable, because they set at 

 rest a question which was raised by several entomologists, who 

 thought that the nests were made by some species of Eumenes, 

 and that the Pelopaeus was a mere parasite upon them, like the 

 Cryptus, and many other of the Ichneumonidae. 



If the reader will refer to the large engraving, entitled " Mr. 

 Stone's Wasp Nests," he will see a representation of four square 

 boxes, each containing an object which would hardly be taken 

 for a wasp's nest at a little distance. Such, however, is the case ; 

 and these boxes are four selected examples out of a series of six 

 which were built in Mr. Stone's house, and presented by him to 

 the British Museum. The story of these nests is very remarka- 

 ble, and shows how much we have to learn concerning the habits 

 and instincts of insects. 



