82 THE SWAMPS OF THK MISSISSIPPI. 



barking, and collecting around me overhead ; and frequently descending the 

 trunks, till within a few yards, which many of them found was rather 

 too near to be safe. The Fox Squirrel is not so numerous as the others 

 I have mentioned. I found him, however, afterwax'ds, pretty far south, 

 in the Soutlieru States, associated with the Flying Squirrels, {Pteroviys 

 volucella,) the smallest and most interesting of the whole. They appear 

 to become gregarious at certain seasons, occupjdng the saqae hole in a 

 decayed tree, the entrance to which seldom exceeds the size of a dollar, 

 being equally circular. This peculiarity readily betrays their hiding-place ; 

 and, from such places, I have frequently cleared out from three to five. The 

 difficulty is to keep them out ; for, after running round the trunk, they will 

 pop in again, and that, too, within six inches of your nose. These holes 

 seldom exceed ten feet from the ground. Regardless of the usual knockings 

 upon the trunk which scare other Squin-els out, this little Dodger will pre- 

 tend to be " not at home." The only way to detect the imposition, is, to 

 climb the tree, and job him out with a thin wand. 



The Prairie Squirrel, or the Goffer, as he is more frequently called, is the 

 last on my list. He much resembles the Chipmonk ; and, from having his 

 homo in the Priarie, he is never seen anywhere else. 



(To be contintied.J 



INJURIOUS INSECTS, No. III. 

 THE COMMON WASP. {VESPA VULGARIS, L.) 



BY J, MC' INTOSH, ESQ, 



The Common Wasp, {Vespa vulgaris,) is a well-known enemy of the gar- 

 dener, having been formed by Divine Wisdom to feed upon fruits and honey; 

 and, unhappily, this marauding creature neither respects nor acknowledges 

 the right of property in any one ; and wherever it can gain access — whether 

 it be to the store of the laborious Honey-Bee, [Apis melUfica,) or the choice 

 fruits of the hothouse or the open garden — the one and the other are alike 

 seized upon, and made subservient to its support. It is also ferocious and 

 cruel towards its fellow-insects, even to cannibalism ; still they are very 

 lively, much more so than the Honcy-Bee. The Wasp, like other insects 

 which live in societies, is of different genders ; the male and female are 

 •wholly intended for propagating their species, while neuters are for defending 

 and supporting the young. Amongst Wasps there are a greater number of 

 females than in Bees ; and, instead of one or two having the duties of a 



