a score of attempts, one after the other, without succeeding in
piercing the tough wrapper of the Stelis. Should the instrument
not penetrate, it retreats into its sheath and the insect resumes
its scrutiny of the cocoon, sounding it point by point with the
tips of its antennae. Then further thrusts are tried until one
succeeds.

The eggs are little spindles, white and gleaming like ivory, about
two-thirds of a millimeter in length. They have not the long,
curved peduncle of the Leucospis' eggs; they are not suspended from
the ceiling of the cocoon like these, but are laid without order
around the fostering larva. Lastly, in a single cell and with a
single mother, there is always more than one laying; and the number
of eggs varies considerably in each. The Leucospis, because of her
great size, which rivals that of her victim, the Bee, finds in each
cell provisions enough for one and one alone. When, therefore,
there is more than one set of eggs in any one cell, this is due to
a mistake on her part and not a premeditated result. Where the
whole ration is required for the meals of a single grub, she would
take good care not to install several if she could help it. Her
competitor is not called upon to observe the same discretion. A
Chalicodoma grub gives the dwarf the wherewithal to portion a score
of her little ones, who will live in common and in all comfort on
what a single son of the giantess would eat up by himself. The
tiny boring engineer, therefore, always settles a numerous family
at the same banquet. The bowl, ample for a dozen or two, is
emptied in perfect harmony.

Curiosity made me count the brood, to see if the mother was able to
estimate the victuals and to proportion the number of guests to the