MASONS 85 



ings ; but it looks out for some cavity or recess in 

 which to place the nest. This is composed of clay 

 or mud, and if space allows, several cells are placed 

 side by side. During the latter part of " the 

 rains " all things in an Indian household that have 

 small cavities require to be carefully looked after, 

 or the said cavities will be plugged up by this bee, 

 whether they be rifle-barrels, bamboo rods, punkha 

 holes in the wall, or the hollow revealed in the back 

 of a book that is left open on the table. 



The species of Agenia — which are closely allied to 

 Pompilus, the burrowing Spider Wasp — are of the 

 potter branch of the mason industry. Two Euro- 

 pean species (one of them British) make vase-like 

 nests which they hide in tree-hollows, wall-holes, 

 and similar places. Agenia carbonariuy which is 

 found in the South of England, contrives a nest 

 much like a wide-mouthed bottle ; but it is not 

 so accomplished in the potter's art as some of 

 those we have mentioned, for it does not appear 

 to have learned the secret of kneading its materials 

 with saliva, and so they have not the proper 

 permanency. For this reason they are not placed 

 in exposed situations where the weather would soon 

 crumble them. The little wasp has learned that 

 such material would not be waterproof, and so 

 she takes care to line the nest inside with a coatins; 



o 



of glaze, probably supplied by her mouth, which 

 serves to keep the contents dry. The cell is pro- 

 visioned with spiders which arc paralyzed by biting 

 instead of stinging, and their limbs are broken. 



