328 Trans. Acad, Sci. of St. Louis 
surely despite its mutilation. I left her still working 
feverishly at her task of reconstruction. 
Since in the three places where these wasps have been 
found they occurred in settlements or colonies, one won- 
ders if they do not dig their way out of their subter- 
ranean winter dormitory in the spring and then turn 
around and enlarge their exit-passage for their new bur- 
rows. It seems incredible that one wasp is able to dig so 
large a tunnel in so short a time. 
I earnestly hope that the reader will be satisfied with 
the details of these few burrows, so I may mercifully be 
spared the task of digging out another one. So far as I 
could learn from others partly excavated, the tortuous 
course and the dimensions of these are fairly typical. 
I have not been so fortunate as to see the beginning 
of the digging of the burrow. Later on in the process, 
however, when the tunnel was only being enlarged or ex- 
tended, I have observed the outward evidence of work 
going on within. There is then little display to attract 
the attention of the passer-by; the wasp in her dark tun- 
nel down under the earth digs up the soil—I know not 
how—and packing a considerable mass behind her body 
and above her in the tunnel, backs up and pushes it out 
above the surface with her abdomen. This soil comes 
out, not in loose, powdery form, but in granules 
packed together to form plugs or sausage-like masses, 
which protrude for a time above the surface and later, 
when thoroughly dry, collapse in a heap at a touch or 
breeze. This digging was observed several times early 
in the day, before the wasps had come out of their holes 
to brush back the dirt from around the mouth of the 
burrows, and depart for refreshments or prey. Hence 
I cannot say with fairness that these Cerceris are not 
early risers, for I do not know how early they begin their 
