162 OUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS 



so long cared for still remained beside the one 

 which he had hoped would adopt it as part of 

 the family, but the mother of this family had 

 apparently gone also, although two lately 

 emerged females were present. 



It was on the same day that he found an- 

 other paper-maker's nest, larger and more 

 populous than any he had found. All the 

 others, excepting the unfortunate one under 

 his direct care, had been small and the mothers 

 had disappeared early. Up to this time he 

 had not seen a single male, and he was begin- 

 ning to wonder about where the fathers of the 

 next generation were to come from. Since the 

 other nests with which he had occupied him- 

 self were now practically deserted, he was 

 glad, indeed, to find one in normal condition. 

 An examination showed that there were still 

 eggs and young larva? in the new nest, besides 

 pupae and seven adult females. He was so 

 curious about the new discovery that he was 

 stung four times that day for insisting on look- 

 ing into things that the wasps seemed to feel 

 were none of his business. On September 4 

 there was only one egg still unhatched, but 

 still no males had appeared. It was not until 

 September 10 that the first male emerged. 



