S6$ THE PHILOSOPHY 



which requires feveral months labour, and ferves the animals 

 one year only. This habitation, fo populous in fumraer, is 

 almoft deferted in winter, and abandoned entirely in fpring ; 

 for, in this laft fealbn, not a lingle wafp is to be found in a 

 nei\ of the preceding year. It is worthy of remark, that the 

 firft combs of a neft are always accommodated for the recep- 

 tion of the neuter or working wafps. The city, of which 

 the foundation has juil: been laid, requires a number of work- 

 men. The neuter or working wafps are accordingly hrft 

 produced. A cell is no fooner half completed than an egg 

 of a neuter is depofited in it by the female. Of fourteen or 

 fifteen combs inclofed in a common cover, the four laft only 

 are deftined for the reception of males and females. Hence 

 it uniformly happens, that, before the males and females are 

 capable of taking flight, every wafp's neft is peopled with fev- 

 (gral thoufand neuters or workers. But the neuters, who 

 are firft produced, are likewife the firft that perifh •, for not 

 one of them furvives the termination even of a mild winter. 

 It was remarked by the ancient naturalifts, that fome wafps 

 lived one year only, and others two. To the former Arif- 

 totle gives the appellation of operant, which are our workers 

 or neuters, and to the latter matnces, which are our females. 

 The female wafps are ftronger, and fupport the rigours of 

 winter better than the males or neuters. Before the end of 

 winter, however, feveral hundred females die, and not above 

 ten or a dozen in each neft furvive that feafon. Thefe few 

 females are deftined for the continuation of the fpecies. 

 Each of them becomes the founder of a new republic. When 

 a queen-bee departs from a hive in order to eftabliili a new 

 one, fhe is always accompanied with feveral thoufand 

 induftrious labourers, ready to perform every neceflary 

 operation. But the female wafp has not the aid of a fmgk 

 labourer ; for all the neuters are dead before the beginning 

 «>f the fpring. The female alone lays the foundation of ^ * 



