Field Studies of the Non-Social Wasps 327 
nels, but, of course, an incomplete idea, since a diagram 
can show the curves in only one plane, and not the curves 
toward and away from the observer. Another was de- 
scribed in detail in my notes as follows: This hole went 
straight down for 2 inches, then curved toward the south- 
east for 3 inches, then southwest for 4 inches, made a 
sharp turn toward the northwest and downward for 4 
inches, westward and still down for 2 inches, upward and 
west 2 inches, then curving downward and south about 4 
inches. Along this section of the tunnel were three cells 
containing fat Cerceris larvae and beetle remains. These 
cells were oval and about 114 inches long and % inch in 
diameter. Beyond this the tunnel continued slightly up- 
ward and westward for 3 inches more, and in the end, 
in a sort of pocket, were 3 more fat beetles. This indi- 
cates that the wasp digs her tunnel and makes several 
pockets at the terminus for brood cells. The tunnel 
varied slightly in diameter, the minimum being about % 
inch. The total length of this one was 24 inches, and the 
cells were situated 17 inches below the surface of the 
ground. One can readily see what an enormous task this 
mother wasp had accomplished, to have made so large an 
excavation in soil which was so nearly impenetrable that 
I myself could hardly dig it. 
The excavation of another burrow was begun in the 
absence of the mother wasp. The hole was likewise very 
tortuous, and at a depth of 15 inches it turned directly 
under the hardest part of the road, where the tools broke 
and the digging had to be abandoned. Meanwhile the 
mother returned, and so persistent was she in trying to 
enter the wreck of her home that twice I picked her up 
in the forceps with perfect ease. She fairly fought to 
get back to the place, and dug for more than an hour 
trying to follow her old burrow, which she recognized so 
