1894.] 



SOCIAL WASPS 



241 



[On the subject of wasps, Miss Ormerod wrote to Mr. 

 Edward Connold on January 15, 1894: 



" I am very glad that you were able to procure my late 

 brother's book on " Social Wasps " and that its perusal 

 gave you pleasure. You ask me how the combs were 

 removed from the nests. I do not know how my 

 brother managed it, but I found the matter very easy, 



After sketch from original specimen by E. A. O. Dimensions, 

 8 in. across by 7^ in. deep. 



FIG. 63. NEST OF TREE WASP, VESPA SYLVESTRIS. 



as long as the nests had been so recently taken from out- 

 of-door localities, that the paper had not become too dry 

 to be operated on. Indeed, the damp condition induced 

 by the first stages of the very nasty state that combs with 

 dead grubs get into, rather facilitated work than otherwise. 



