lO MY STUDIO NEIGHBORS 



cause it was not alone, being accompanied by a 

 green caterpillar bigger than herself, which she 

 held beneath her body as she travelled along on 

 the window-sill so near my face. "So, so! my 

 little wren - wasp, you have found a satisfactory 

 cranny at last, and have made yourself at home. 

 I have seen you prying about here for a week 

 and wondered where you would take up your 

 abode." 



The insect now reaches the edge of the sill, 

 and, taking a fresh grip on her burden, starts off 

 in a bee-line across my drawing-board and tow- 

 ards the open door, and disappears. Wondering 

 what her whimsical destination might be, my eye 

 involuntarily began to wander about the room in 

 quest of nail-holes or other available similar cran- 

 nies, but without reward, and I had fairly settled 

 back to my work and forgotten the incident, when 

 the same visitor, or another just like her, again 

 appeared, this time clearing the window-sill in her 

 flight, and landing directly upon my drawing- 

 board, across which she sped, half creeping, half 

 in flight, and tugging her green caterpillar as be- 

 fore — longer than herself — which she held be- 

 neath her body. 



" This time I shall learn your secret," I thought, 

 " Two such challenges as this are not to be ig- 



