200 HOME STUDIES IN NATURE. 



and partly stores her cells with it (the pollen). In the 

 example you send, the plant had already captured some 

 insects before the bee commenced building. I hope to 

 breed the imago, as I think one cell contains the larva. 

 The leaves employed seem to be oak. The other nest 

 is that of some wasp, and evidently of some species be- 

 longing to the Sphegidw. These insects all sting their 

 prey and paralyze it, and make their nests in various 

 ways, but generally by burrowing in gravelly soil or 

 appropriating the tunnels of other species, such as the 

 carpenter bee (Xylooopa). Mr. F. Smith, of the British 

 Museum, records that Sphex lanierii (Guerin) 'con- 

 structs its nest of a cottony substance, filling a tunnel 

 formed by a large curved leaf.' I have been trying to 

 determine what the fibrous matter is composing the 

 nest you send ; it seems to be made of the slivers of 

 some soft-stemmed plant." 



Now in what way can we account for the safe exit 

 of the wasp and bee except on the hypothesis that 

 they did not feed on the secretion while building their 

 nests ? I have repeatedly seen wasps and other hymen- 

 opterous insects eat the secretion, and then go into the 

 tube and never return. 



But the most conclusive proof of the intoxicating 

 power of the sweet secretion of Sarracenia is the marked 

 effect it produces upon the cockroach. The Florida 

 cockroach is one of the most agile of insects. It is 

 almost impossible to catch one. He is ever on the 

 alert and most impudent. I strike at him — he is yards- 



