132 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 
had actually the courage to bring with him what 
he considered proof sufficient for the whole world, 
and which had even deceived the minister him- 
self. At the sight of these terrible things, his 
master, though not quite so much alarmed as 
himself, was surprised, and consulted his sur- 
geon, who knowing more of his own profession 
than of natural history, referred him to the Abbe 
Nollet as more capable of solving the myster)'. 
The gardener brought the roll of leaves, which 
he firmly believed to have been made by a 
wizard, and with some very bad intention ; for 
why else should any one take so much trouble ? 
Happily M. Nollet had by him some similar 
rolls made by beetles, which he showed to the 
man, assuring him they were formed by insects, 
as, no doubt, his own were. He opened one of 
the cells on the spot, and showed the maggot to 
the man, who certainly had never dared even to 
think of prying into them ; his sombre and 
anxious countenance instantly cleared up, as if 
he had been delivered from some great danger. 
One species of solitary wasp has a very curious 
manner of building or rather digging her nest. 
These insects are rather smaller than the com- 
mon wasp, and are chiefly black with yellow 
stripes. They may be seen at work in June on 
