236 HYMENOPTERA. 
mangled creatures, strewed round the 
outside of its den, betray the abode of 
this little savage. 
Lucy. And are there many species of 
these horrible creatures ? 
Mother, Upwards of a hundred are to 
be found in various parts of the world, but 
only a few^ of them are natives of these 
islands. 
Lucy, I am sure I rejoice at that, 
however usefulthey may be. 
Mother, The sphex spirifex digs a 
bole in the ground for her eggs, and 
constructs there a set of cells, in a very 
curious manner. As she digs out the 
sand she kneads it into a paste, with a 
glutinous liquid proceeding from her 
mouth ; of tbis paste she makes little 
round balls, by means of her teeth and 
fore feet, and places them in circular rows 
one over the other. Between the balls 
many openings are left, so that the struc- 
ture forms a sort of coarse filigree, or 
open work tower round the mouth of 
her burrow. 
