312 INSECTS* 



always enter, by the other they fally forth ; each being firiall, but one 

 can pafs at a time. 



The honey-comb of the wafp is fiat, the mouth of every cell down- 

 wards. Thus is their habitation contrived, ftory above flory, fupported 

 by feveral rows of pillars which give firmnefs to the building, while the 

 v«pper ftory is flat-roofed and fmooth. The pillars are very hard and 

 compaft, largeft at each end. The cells are for the reception of youngs 

 being replete with neither wax nor honey. Each cell is hexagonal j but 

 they are of two forts, the one larger for the produdion of the male and 

 female wafps, the other lefs for the reception of the working part of the 

 community. The females lay their eggs, one in each cell, and ftick it 

 in with a kind of gummy matter. This egg produces the infedt in its 

 worm-ftate, which the old females feed till it becomes large. The young 

 worms at a certain fize fpin a very fine filk. After this they diveft them- 

 felves of their ikins by the ufual mode of transformation, the aurclia by 

 degrees is emancipated from its fhell, thrufts out its legs and wings, and 

 acquires the colour and fliape of its parent. 



Though it gathers no honey, no animal is more fond of fweets. It 

 will purfue the bee and the humble-bee, deftroy them with its fting, and 

 plunder them of their honey-bag, with which it flies triumphantly loaded 

 to its neft : but fierce battles fometimes enfue, in which the bees make 

 up by conduft and numbers what they want in prowefs. When there is 

 no honey to be had, they feek the beft and fweeteft fruits. From the 

 garden they fly to the city, to the grocers fliops, and butchers fhambles-. 

 They will fometimes carry off bits of flefli half as big as themfelves, 

 with which thej fly to their neft. Whenever they are found, other flies 

 defert the place immediately. 



Every day in fummer adds' to their numbers ; and from their ftrength^ 

 agility, and indifcriminate appetite, were they as long lived as the bee, 

 they would foon fwarm on the face of nature the moft noxious of plagues: 

 but they live only a Angle feafon. While fummer heats continue, they 

 are bold, voracious, and enterprifing : as the fun withdraws, they lofe 

 their courage and activity j as the cold increafes, they become more do* 

 meftic ; feldom leave the neft, make but fliort adventures, flutter about 

 ^t noon only, and return chilled and feeble. No longer able to pro* 

 • vide their growing progeny a fupply, they facrifice them all to the ne* 

 cefllty of the times ; then forfaking their nefts, they feek warmth in the 

 corners of holifcs, and artificial heat ; but before the new year they 

 wither and die j the working wafps firft, the males following, and many 

 of the females. One or two temaWs furvive the winter, and having been im- 



>j pregnated 



