14 Trans. Acad, of St. Louis 



My opinion of the wasp's listlessness was at once 

 changed when one discovered a spider. This spider was 

 on her large, spreading web at the base of the smoke- 

 house wall. I was attracted by the amazing rapidity 

 with which the wasp traveled over this web without be- 

 coming ensnared. By a fine trick, like a hare before the 

 hounds, the spider suddenly ceased the race and stood 

 stock still in the center of the web, while the wasp in full 

 pursuit dashed right past her and did not discover the 

 error, it seemed, until she had reached the edge of the 

 web. Then she betrayed her agitation, by quivering 

 wings and antennae, but for some time appeared either 

 rather stupid or near-sighted in again locating her 

 quarry. The spider, meanwhile, remained motionless 

 until it was again discovered, whereupon it dodged for 

 a time, then leaped to the wall and escaped. Two days 

 later the burrows had not been closed; they were dug up, 

 and all were like the first. 



A little later in the season, in early September, this 

 species was frequently seen along the roadside on the 

 hills near Wickes ; they were evidently foraging or feed- 

 ing. One was even seen so late as October 19, feeding on 

 the last smart-weed blossoms. 



On August 14, at Manchester, Mo., we were attracted 

 by a commotion at the foot of a sunny clay bank. A wasp 

 was in a hole, with her face flush with the surface, and 

 four others were in a fussy wrangle over it. Our first 

 thoughts were that the ones on top were helping another 

 in distress, since their manner did not denote anger or 

 enmity. After five minutes more of this turmoil, the one 

 below emerged ; and then did the excitement break into 

 perfect furore among them. The new one emerging was 

 a large, handsome female; the other four were males. 

 One of these took possession of her at once, while two 

 others clung to her and struggled to crowd him away. 

 The fourth, outwitted, walked away and was captured in 

 a vial. The mating lasted for about a minute, when the 



