322 CONCLUSION. 



thfe day, as shown in the Appendix (p. 423), no less than 

 116 visits to the honey, or 232 journeys between my 

 room and her nest, during which she carried off rather 

 more than sixty-four grains of honey. 



It would, however, perhaps be unfair to the bees to 

 regard this as indicating that they are less industrious 

 than wasps. The deficiency may be due to their being 

 more susceptible to cold. 



I may add that I then left home for a few days. I 

 covered over the honey, leaving only a small entrance 

 for the wasp. When I returned, on the 12th, I found 

 her still at work, and by herself. It was evident that 

 she had continued her labours, but without bringing 

 any friends to assist her. 



Every one has heard of a * bee-line.' It would be 

 no less correct to talk of a wasp-line. On August 6 I 

 marked a wasp, the nest of which was round the corner 

 of the house, so that her direct way home was not out 

 of the window by which she entered, but in the opposite 

 direction, across the room to a window which was closed. 

 I watched her for some hours, during which time she 

 constantly went to the closed window, and lost much 

 time in buzzing about at it. August 7, I was not able 

 to watch her. August 8 and 9, 1 watched her from 6.25 

 A.M., when she made her first visit. She still constantly 

 went to the closed window. August 10 and 11, I was 

 away from home. August 12, she made her first visit 

 at 7.40, and still went to the closed window. August 

 13, her first visit was at 6.15 ; she went to the closed 

 window and remained buzzing about there till 7, when 

 I caught her and pat her out at the open one by which 

 she always entered. August 15 and 16, she continued 



