252 LOCAL JOTTINGS. 



wliere, in the ancient time, cavaliers displayed their persons and their prowess. 

 A gradual ascent has brought us to the limekilns of Copt Hall, from which 

 a very fine upland view may be obtained. Here there appeared struggling 

 for an existence among the sand, the delicately-tinted Rest-harrow, (Ononis 

 arvensis,) whose tenacity to the soil has given it its common English name, 

 as well as Scotch designation of 'sidfast/ (that is, sitfast.) 



After a few more turns and windings the public road was gained, and in 

 a short time the day's ramble was over. Thus came, continued, and closed 

 a most pleasant stroll^ the bright remembrance of which will not soon fade 

 from the memory. 



Aberdeen, 1854. 



LOCAL JOTTINGS.— No. 14. 

 DOECHESTER— DOHSETSHIRE. 



BY JOHN GARLAND, ESQ., MEMBt ENT: SOC:, MEMB: WERN: CLUB. 



TIte Tree Wasp, (Vespa Britannica.) — This rare little denizen of the southern 

 parts of our island, is seldom met with near Dorchester; indeed, I have never 

 myself had the good fortune to find any of them, but a short time since an 

 instance of their building here has fallen under my observation, which I 

 hasten to remark upon. A gentleman, Herbert Williams, Esq., of Stinsford 

 House, near this town, discovered a nest of these little animals built at the 

 extremity of a branch of a fir tree, over a pond in his garden. The gardener 

 took the nest, after stifling the Wasps, and unfortunately burning, in the 

 operation, about one-fourth of the nest, which, but for this, would have been 

 very perfect. Even as it was it caused quite a sensation in a shop window 

 in our High-Street, where it was exhibited; many persons having gone to see 

 it. He has kindly made me a present of it. Many of the interesting little 

 creatures have since issued from the cells, having survived the burning which 

 killed their fellows. The larva3 were all dead. The formation and structure 

 of this nest are nearly like that of the Common Wasp, (Vespa vulgaris,) it 

 beino- formed of similar paper-like materials; and it is really wonderful to observe 

 how well adapted was the branch for the protection of its fragile burden; 

 the leaves depending so as to shoot off the rain as much as practicable: 

 instinct in this respect being more certain in its results, than the most studied 

 calculations could possibly have foreseen and guarded against. The habits of 

 all the Vespidce are well worth watching, and there is a remarkably interesting 

 account of some of these animals, written by Mr. Gosse, the author of "The 

 Aquarium," and other works, in the "Zoologist," of the year 1844. More 

 observations and notes of the genus Vesjja, would, in my humble opinion, be 

 a desideratum. in Natural History. 



Common Wasp, (Yespa vulgaris.) — The nests of this Wasp are commonly 

 found under banks of rivers, and in fields, etc.; but amongst the unusual 



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