CLASSIFICATION OF THE SPECIES. 55 
remained for more than two weeks afterwards.” 
Probably, from the appearance of the nest, it is in 
reference to the same or an allied species, that 
Major-General Sir Thomas Seaton* has a story to 
tell about the condition of a sugar store at Shahje- 
hanpoor, which had been left for some weeks in 
possession of a swarm of hornets, who had taken 
and held it in defiance of the Government. At 
the end of the season, when the Commissariat 
Officer ventured to return and claim his charge, it 
was found that nearly 3,000 pounds of sugar had 
been consumed by them. Further on, he tells us of 
a picket of Lord Clyde’s army, who were amusing 
themselves by throwing stones at an odd looking 
mass of mud and straw hanging on a tree. One 
marksman more successful than his comrades, sent a 
stone with great effect into the centre of the mys- 
terious object, and out flew a cloud of hornets which 
drove Lord Clyde’s invincibles into the river. 
Hornets, however, at least our Anglo-Saxon breed, 
improve on acquaintance. Like dogs, they have 
great powers of annoyance; but, like dogs, they are 
slow in using them except under provocation. The 
advice is very good, crabrones ne irritare, but this 
maxim should be indorsed with another, leave them 
alone and they will leave you alone. Westwoodf 
says that the Americans sometimes introduce the 
nests of hornets into their houses, to keep away 
flies. Mr. Gravely, of Cowfold, told me of a poor 
woman whom he attended in her confinement, who 
had made friends with a swarm of hornets which 
* ‘From Cadet to Colonel,’ 1866, Vol. II, p. 314. 
t ‘ Modern Classification,’ Vol. II, p. 246, note. 
