Tm-: FiKsT Papkr-Makkw 



^73 



of a scrape, 'riu-^r two last attitiidt's arc, of course, 

 alternate. One shows the jaws opened, the other 

 closed, as they look at the heiiinnin^ and end of 

 each forward and backward movement. Von will 

 notice also that, as usual, the insect's jaws work 

 sideways, not up and down like those of man and 

 other hi^^her animals. If vou exanune closely this 

 series of wasp's heads in d.lTeii-nt postui'es, vou 

 will see how well the various parts are adapted, 

 not only tor raspinj^ and nianu- 

 facturinj^ paper, but also for 

 the more delicate work of wall 

 and cell buildinj^. 



Almost as interestinj^ as the 

 head are the winj^s of wasps, 

 of which there are four, as in 

 most other insects. Hut they 

 have this curious peculiaritv : 

 the two front win^s have a 

 crease down the middle, so that 

 they can be folded up len^tli- 

 wise, like two sej^ments or rays 

 of a fan, and thus occupy only 



half the space on the body that they would other- 

 wise do. It is this odd device that makes the 

 transparent and liau/.v wins^s so relativelv incon- 

 spicuous when the insect is at ic^t, and the same 

 cause contributes also to tin- disjilay ol the hand- 

 some black-and-yellow-striped body. Xo. i 2 shows 

 us a queen with her wiui^s folded : be-low is one 

 upper or front win^, folded over on itself, and then 

 laid across the under winij. No. 13 intrtxluces us 



NO. 12. i.il KKN Willi 

 1 nl.l'Kii \\ l.Nc.s, AM) 

 ONK WINc; 10 sUoW 



III! dim;. 



