156 MY STUDIO NEIGHBORS 



for banquet there certainly was, judging from the 

 eager sijaping and crowding everywhere upon the 

 leaves, the flowers even yet, as I first noticed, 

 seeming to have little attraction. 



I have no direct means of knowing as to the 

 social discrimination of the host as shown in the 

 entertainment, for that invitations were issued the 

 subsequent facts would show. But I have good 

 reasons for believing, from the course of events, 

 that the gathering included a number of question- 

 able personages that were not counted upon. 



Here, for instance, was an overwhelming con- 

 tingent of the whole tough gang of wasps and 

 hornets — brown wasps from under the eaves and 

 fences ; black hornets from the big paper nests ; 

 yellow-jackets from where you please ; deep steel- 

 blue wire-waisted wasps from the mud cells in the 

 garret, to say nothing of an occasional longer- 

 waisted digger-wasp, and a host of their allied 

 lesser associates scattered around generously 

 among the assemblage. 



Every now and then a big darning-needle took 

 a shimmering circuit about the bush, and doubt- 

 less knew what he was about; as did also what at 

 first glimpse appeared to be a big bumblebee,, 

 which seemed to find attraction in the neieh- 

 borhood, although he seldom alighted upon the 



