WASPS. 217 



projecting substance from the upper part of 

 buildings or out-houses. It does not much 

 exceed the size of an egg, but is of a more 

 globular form, and consists of several con- 

 centric bells, with considerable intervals be- 

 tween each, the interior alone being entire, and 

 furnished with a small round orifice : the 

 rest reaching only about two-thirds from the 

 base of the nest. In the centre of the com- 

 plete or intire bell, is situated the congeries 

 of cells, built round a small central pillar 

 attached to the base : the cells are not very 

 numerous, and their orifices look downward. 



Sagacity of the Wasp. 



Dr. Darwin relates the following circum- 

 stance, which fell under his own eye, and 

 shows the power of reasoning in a Wasp, as 

 it is exercised among men :— 



" A Wasp on a gravel walk had caught a 

 fly, nearly as large as himself; — kneeling 

 on the ground, I observed him," says the 

 doctor, " separate the tail and the head from 

 the body part, to which the wings are at- 



