WASPS. 193 



six-sided cells. Though these cells are not made of wax, 

 they are equally proper for the reception of eggs, and for af- 

 fording convenient habitations to the worms which proceed 

 from them till their transformation into wasps. 



In general, the cells of the wasps are formed of a kind of 

 paper, which, with great dexterity, is fabricated by the ani- 

 mals themselves. The number of combs and cells in a 

 wasp's nest, is always proportioned to the number of indi- 

 viduals associated. Different species choose different situa- 

 tions for building their nests. Some expose their habitations 

 to all the injuries of the air; others prefer the trunks of 

 decayed trees ; and others, as the common kind, of which we 

 are principally treating, conceal their nests under ground. 

 The hole which leads to a wasp's nest is about an inch in 

 diameter. This hole is a kind of gallery mined by the wasps, 

 is seldom in a straight line, and varies in length from half a 

 foot to two feet, according to the distance of the nest from 

 the surface of the ground. When exposed to view, the whole 

 nest appears to be of a roundish form, and sometimes about 

 twelve or fourteen inches in diameter. It is strongly fortified 

 all round with walls or layers of paper, the surface of which 

 is rough and irregular. In these walls, or rather in this ex- 

 ternal covering, two holes are left for passages to the combs. 

 The wasps uniformly enter the nest by one hole, and go out 

 by the other, which prevents 'any confusion or interruption to 

 their common labors. 



We are now arrived at the gates of this subterraneous city, 

 which, though small, is extremely populous. Upon removing 

 the external covering, we perceive that the whole interior part 

 consists of several stories or floors of combs, which are paral- 

 lel to each other, and nearly in a horizontal position. Every 

 story is composed of a numerous assemblage of hexagonal 

 cells, very regularly constructed with a matter resembling ash- 

 colored paper. These cells contain neither wax nor honey, 

 but are solely destined for containing the eggs, the worms 

 which are hatched from them, the nymphs, and the young 

 wasps till they are able to fly. Wasps' nests are not always 

 composed of an equal number of combs. They sometimes 

 consist of fifteen, arid sometimes of eleven only. The combs 

 are of various diameters. The first, or uppermost, is often 

 only two inches in diameter, while those of the middle some- 

 times exceed a foot. The lowest are also much smaller than 

 the middle ones. All these combs, like so many floors or 

 stories ranged in a parallel manner above each other, afford 

 17 



