The Common Wasp 



idea of the summary funeral. The dying in- 

 sect, still kicking, is seized by one leg and 

 dragged to the Gemoniae. The night cold 

 will kill it outright. These brutal obsequies 

 tally with other instances of savagery, to 

 which we shall return. 



In this double cemetery, inside and out- 

 side the burrow, the three classes of the popu- 

 lation are represented promiscuously. The 

 neuters are the most numerous; next come 

 the males. That these should disappear is 

 quite natural; their part is played. But the 

 future mothers, the femals with flanks rich 

 in eggs, these also perish. Fortunately the 

 Wasps'-nest is not yet entirely deserted. 

 Through a rent I can see a swarm amply 

 sufficient for my plans. We will take the 

 nest away with us and arrange matters for 

 an observation which will last some time and 

 which can be conducted leisurely at home. 



The nest will be more convenient to watch 

 if dismembered. Cutting the connecting pil- 

 lars, I separate the shelves of combs and 

 stack them afresh, giving them a wide frag- 

 ment of the wrapper as a roof. The Wasps 

 are then re-established in their dwelling, but 

 in limited numbers, to avoid the confusion of 

 a crowd. I keep the more able-bodied and 

 reject the others. The females, the chief 

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