TAME WASP. 315 
absence. The next morning this wasp was the first ta 
visit the honey. 
I was not able to watch any of the above-mentioned 
wasps for more than a few days, but I kept a specimen 
of Polistes gallica for no less than nine months. 
I took her, with her nest, in the Pyrenees, early in 
May. The nest consisted of about twenty cells, the 
majority of which contained an egg; but as yet no 
grubs had been hatched out, and, of course, my wasp 
was as yet alone in the world. 
I had no difficulty in inducing her to feed on my 
hand; but at first she was shy and nervous. She kept 
her sting in constant readiness; and once or twice in 
the train, when the railway officials came for tickets, 
and I was compelled to hurry her back into her bottle, 
she stung me slightly—I think, however, entirely from 
fright. 
Gradually she became quite used to me, and when 
I took her on my hand apparently expected to be fed. 
She even allowed me to stroke her without any appear- 
ance of fear, and for some months I never saw her 
sting. 
When the cold weather came on she fell into a 
drowsy state, and I began to hope she would hibernate 
and survive the winter. I kept her ina dark place, but 
watched her carefully, and fed her if ever she seemed 
at all restless. 
She came out occasionally, and seemed as well as 
usual till near the end of February, when one day I 
