xiv CONTENTS. 



the Hive. — Form of the Cells. — The royal Cell, its Structure and Use. — Uses of 

 the ordinary Cells. — Structure of the Bee-cell. — Economy of Space. — How pro- 

 duced. — Theories of different Mathematicians. — Measurement of Angles. — A log- 

 arithmic Table corrected by the Bee-cell. — The "Lozenge" a key to the Cell. — 

 How to form it. — Beautiful mathematic Proportions of the Lozenge. — Method of 

 Making the Cell or a Model. — Conjectured Analogy between the Cell and certain 

 Crystals. — Effect of the Cell upon Honey. — The Hornet and its Nest. — Its fa- 

 vorite Localities. — Difficulties of taking a Hornet's Nest. — Habits of the Insect. — 

 Mr. Stone's Method of taking the Nest. — The Synceca and its Habitation. — Beau- 

 tiful Nests in the British Museum. — Description of the Insect. — Nest of the Eu- 

 cheira. — Its external Form. — Curious Discovery in Dissection. — A suspended 

 Colony. — Conjectures respecting the Structure. — Nest from the Oxford Museum. 

 — Remarkable Form of its Doors, and Material of which it is made. — The Small 

 Ermine Moth and its Ravages. — Its large social Habitation. — General Habits of 

 the Larva. — Why the Sparrow does not eat them. — The Gold-tailed Moth and 

 its beautiful social Nest. — Description of a Specimen from Wiltshire. — Illustration 

 of the Theory of Heat. — The Brown- tailed Moth and its Nest. — Social Habita- 

 tions of the Peach and Small Tortoise-shell Butterflies Page 442 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



SOCIAL INSECTS (.Continued). 

 A curious Ant from India (Myrmica Kirbii). — Locality of its Nest. — Description of 

 the Nest, its Material, and Mode of Structure. — A nocturnal Misadventure. — The 

 Driver Ant of Africa. — Description of the Insect. — Reason for its Name. — Its 

 general Habits. — Destructive Powers of the Driver Ant. — How the Insects devour 

 Meat and convey it Home. — How they kill Snakes. — Native Legend of the Py- 

 thon. — Their Mode of March. — Fatal Effects of the Sunbeams. — An extemporized 

 Arch. — Method of escaping from Floods. — Site of their Habitation. — Modes of 

 destroying them. — Living Ladders and their Structure. — Method of crossing 

 Streams. — Tenacity of Life. — A decapitated Ant. — Mode of Biting. — Description 

 of the Insect.— Curious Nest of a Brazilian Wasp. — Weight of the Nest and Meth- 

 od of Attachment. — Variety of Polistes Nest. — Polistes atemmus and its singular 

 Nest. — Beautiful Structure of an unknown Polistes 468 



CHAPTER XXV. 



PARASITIC NESTS. 

 Various Parasites.— Parasitic Birds.— The Cuckoo and its Kin.— The Cow-bird 

 and its Nest.— Size of its Egg.— Comparison between the Cuckoo and the Ap- 

 teryx. The ^ptornis.— The Blue-faced Honey-eater or Batikin.— Gen- 

 eral Habits of the Bird.— Singular Mode of Nesting.— The Sparrow-hawk and 

 its parasitic Habits.— The Kestrel, its Quarrel with a Magpie.— The Purple 

 Grakle or Crow Blackbird. —Its curious Alliance with the Osprey.— Wilson's 

 Account of the two Birds.— The Sparrow as a Parasite.— Curious Behavior of 

 the Stork. — Parasitic Insects. — The Ichneumon Flies. — The Parasite of the 

 Cabbage Caterpillar. — Its Numbers and Mode of making its Habitation.— 

 Trap-doors of the Cells. — The Australian Cocoon and its Parasites.— The Oak- 

 egger Moth, its Cocoons and Enemies.— The Puss Moth.— Its remarkable Co- 

 coon ._p OW erfulJaws of the Parasite. — Ruby-tailed Flies and their Victims.— 

 Modes of Usurpation. — The Cuckoo Flies or Tachina;. — Parasites within Pupse. 

 —Parasites on Vegetables. — The Gall Flies and their Home. — British Galls, 

 their Shapes, Structures, and Authors.— Foreign Galls, and their Uses 487 



