THEIR DEPOPULATION. 95 



Scarcely has the nest arrived at completion, through the 

 labours of the youngest generation of its inhabitants, when the 

 early frosts of autumn slightly thin their numbers ; their active 

 liinbs and wings begin to stiffen ; their vital juices to grow 

 sluggish ; their bold spirits to grow tame ; their supplies, and 

 their energies to seek them, fail both together. When Novem- 

 ber conies, the Wasp population is cut off as by a pestilence ; 

 of those abroad, some fall far from their habitation, others crawl 

 back to die ; while those at home, lately so busy in the works 

 of building, repairing, or keeping in order, are now sluggishly 

 inactive. In a little while the city of terraces becomes a city of 

 the dead; its sole surviving dwellers, and they, happily buried 

 in torpor, are some two or three of the widowed females (such 

 as the one seen at work this morning), on whom depends the 

 perpetuation of the race. No sooner does the early spring awake 

 them, than (like her) they depart, each on her way, to found 

 another city. 



Our defence is concluded. Can a Wasp-hater remain 

 among its readers ? 



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