* 960 NATURAL HISTORY OF WASPS. 
same size and to nearly the same pattern as the first 
nest, corresponding to the energies of so many paper- 
makers suddenly thrown out of employment. This 
is succeeded by a much smaller one, which still how- 
ever reproduces some of the chief features of the 
original structure; and it is still obviously a wasp’s 
nest. But the last in the series consists merely of a 
few scraps of paper gathered on a neighbouring 
twig, looking just like an old grey rag which had 
been caught in the bushes. 
While the wasps which have been left in possession 
of the site are thus occupied, those which have been 
removed to another situation, along with the original 
nest, may have also established themselves, so that 
the swarm is possibly divided into two active 
colonies. Whether from the shaking they have 
undergone, or from whatever cause, the wasps which 
have been thus transplanted seem to have a feeling 
of insecurity, perhaps not wholly unnatural under 
the circumstances, and often attach the comb to the 
outer case of the nest to strengthen the fabric. But 
they will continue their labours in their new situa- 
tion, if they are only prevented from straggling 
away in search of food, during the first few days, 
while their numbers-are few and the neighbourhood 
is strange. 
Sometimes a swarm will divide into two, as the 
result of an accident. Thus, in one case, where 
the sticks in a hedgebank prevented my taking a 
secondary nest of V. sylvestris, which had got entan- 
gled among them, the unsuccessful attack caused the 
division of the nest into two portions, which became 
henceforth separate establishments. Conversely, two 
