AN EVENING WITH THE HORNETS. 127 



exudes from the bark ; or it may be that they 

 were still engaged in building operations, and 

 were carrying away bits of bark with this 

 object, as Rdaumur suggests. They seemed 

 to be spiteful enough to each other ; when 

 one found a choice morsel, another would be 

 down upon and clutch him ; both would then 

 tumble clumsily to the ground. 



The victor would rise first, and with his 

 prize, whatever it was, in his strong mandi- 

 bles, would make a line (I felt sure now) for 

 home, and I resolved to find out where this 

 home was, and discover, if possible, with 

 what material it was built. 



Away he went, mounting high in the clear 

 sky, over shed and barn, stack and tree. 

 He was soon followed by one and another. 

 I saw that this was a grand highway a 

 regular train going and coming always in the 

 same direction for when one would occa- 

 sionally make a circuit round the trees, as 

 if to deceive me, he was sure to come out 

 'twixt barn and sky on the same track. 



I started off beyond shed, and barn, and 

 stackyard, away down to a large pond sur- 

 rounded by a coppice. I had not long to 

 watch there before I saw these winged 

 soldiers high up in the air above the barn, 

 and, one by one, down they came towards the 

 K 



