S52 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OF ANIMALS. CHAP. X. 



ence of their helpless young ones, entirely depend upon 

 their exertions. On their return to the nest, they pro- 

 ceed to distribute the food they have acquired with the 

 greatest generosity and impartiality. Their first por- 

 tion is given to the young brood, as being the most 

 helpless ; a part is then given to the females., part to 

 the males, and part to those labourers, who, from having 

 been engaged all day at home in repairing the common 

 dwelling, have not been able to seek it for themselves. 

 The method by which this is done is highly singular 

 and interesting, the whole being a voluntary act, ac- 

 companied, no doubt, with pleasure both to the donor 

 as well as to the receiver. As soon as a wasp that has 

 been filling itself with the juices of fruits, arrives at the 

 nest, it perches upon the top, and, disgorging a drop of 

 its saccharine fluid, is attended sometimes by two at 

 once, who share the treasure ; these being satisfied, it 

 will sometimes happen that a third is produced, which 

 falls to the lot of others, and thus all are satisfied. 

 After reading this interesting trait of generosity in the 

 wasp, we cannot help wishing that they were not so 

 very numerous, or that they would be content to re- 

 ceive a tenth of our fruit, instead of indiscriminately 

 attacking all. The enlargement and repairing of the 

 nest is another important duty of the workers ; and it 

 is extremely amusing to see them thus engaged. Order 

 and celerity are apparent in all parts of the industrious 

 crowd. Each individual seems to have his allotted work, 

 or task, which generally extends to about an inch and 

 a half : he is provided with a ball of ligneous fibre, 

 procured from posts (we have often seen these little 

 woodcutters at this work upon our window shutters) ; 

 this is carried in its mouth, and is thus ready for im- 

 mediate use : the mode of working it up need not be 

 here detailed, as it more regards our section on the 

 habitations of animals.* Messrs. Kirby and Spence also 

 remark that the labourers, no less than the males, take 



* The limits of one volume have obliged us to omit this section, and 

 several others, on Habits and Instincts, 



