202 ROMANCE OF THE INSECT WORLD CH. v 



communicating sheets have other uses. Determined 

 to make the most of everything, the industrious wasps 

 cover the undersides of the papery plates with cells. 

 They are therefore comb-ceilings, as well as staircases 

 and pillars. Without going into details, the domain 

 may be said to be enlarged by an extra sphere of cells 

 upon the outside of the envelope and a fresh coat of 

 paper. 



If the outer surface of a nest were covered with cells 

 it would hold some thousands. Since the interior is 

 made up of numerous similar surfaces, little smaller, 

 one can hardly compute the sum total of inhabitants 

 possible to be contained in such a city. Of all the 

 kinds of wasps' nests, this of the Nectarines is the 

 best for holding a large community. Due to its 

 sphericity, the cells find room with the least expendi- 

 ture of material. And while it can exceed others in 

 cell capacity, and consequently in population, in 

 actual volume it is far less cumbersome than other 

 great nests. 



