_Bembex_ is carrying, choosing for its purpose a moment when the _Bembex_ makes a brief delay just at the mouth of the burrow; then down comes the _Miltogramma_ and lays one, two, or three eggs on some portion of the booty that may be projecting from beneath the body of the wasp. This latter carries in the food for its own young, but thus introduces to the latter the source of its destruction, for the _Miltogramma_ larvae eat up the supply of food intended for the _Bembex_ larvae, and if there be not enough of this provender they satisfy their voracity by eating the _Bembex_ larva itself. It is a remarkable fact that notwithstanding the presence of these strange larvae in the nest the mother _Bembex_ continues to bring food at proper intervals, and, what is stranger still, makes no effort to rid the nest of the intruders: returning to the burrow with a supply of food she finds therein not only her legitimate offspring, a single tenant, but several others, strangers, it may be to the number of twelve; although she would have no difficulty in freeing the nest from this band of little brigands, she makes no attempt to do so, but continues to bring the {122}supplies. In doing so she is fulfilling her duty; what matters it that she is nourishing the enemies of her race? Both race and enemies have existed for long, perhaps for untold periods of time, why then should she disturb herself, or deviate from her accustomed range of duties? Some of us will see in such proceedings only gross stupidity, while others may look on them as sublime toleration.