172 
spin a cocoon, but impregnates the cell walls with 
a silvery sort of material. 
These nests, if they escape the searching eye 
of the big yellow-winged hornet, are occupied at 
least for some months; the colonies, at any rate. 
are maintained in the same localities for years. 
On May 3, 1917, | found one female wasp 
resting on a 3-cell nest; on visiting this nest 
again on August 17 it had been increased to 
seven cells, more or less complete, and at least 
two of which were being used again. The nest 
contained four Stenogaster larvae and one egg. 
Stenogaster ; smallest species, undetermined. 
Length about 12 mm. 
As may be seen from Fig. 103, this little wasp 
constructs a beautiful nest; in the single case ob- 
served it was ultimately a 7-celled affair secured 
to a slender rootless which hung out of a low 
bank in the forest. Although the shy PS 
tress was frequently seen, and she resembled < 
good deal a small S. depressigaster, she aad 
unidentified through my failure to capture her, 
for she deserted the nest before its completion. 
The-~cells, jas can: be’ seen, each open’ directly 
with the exterior and are arranged in a somewhat 
zigzag fashion. When on July 16, 1917, I first 
saw the nest it consisted of the two discs and one 
open cell, containing a wasp egg or young larva; 
on August 23, when I saw the wasp for the last 
time, there were six separate cells, the two basal 
ones being sealed up and a seventh cell com- 
menced. The two discs on the stem above the 
nest remind one a good deal of the metal plates 
fastened to the mooring lines of vessels and serv- 
ing as rat guards. Their function in the case of 
the nest may well be an imperfect protection 
from ants, or perhaps they may serve as um- 
brellas, though neither they nor the cells are 
Fig. 103. Nest — strictly rainproof. The wasp builds rather stead- 
of a speciesof ily and has several young or eggs to attend to 
solitary Ste- ae atthe z hs 
pene TD simultaneously. The cells each re equire a day ol 
3/9. more to be completed. The nest, which is rather 
dark grey-brown, appears to be made of decayed 

