WASP NESTS. 379 



In the month of August, 1862, a nest of the common wasp 

 (Vespa germanica) was taken near Brighthampton, and handed 

 over to Mr. Stone, who has long been in the habit of experiment- 

 ing upon these insects. One extraordinary nest which was built 

 by wasps under his auspices has already been mentioned on page 

 276. 



The nest was very much damaged by carriage, and Mr. Stone 

 took it entirely to pieces, placing one or two small combs inside a 

 square wooden box with a glass front, and supporting them by a 

 wire which passed through the combs to the roof of the box. He 

 then fixed the box in a window, so as to allow the insects free in- 

 gress and egress through a hole in the back. 



About three hundred of the workers were then collected, 

 placed in the box, and well supplied with sugar and beer. They 

 immediately began to work, and their first object was to cover 

 the combs with paper. They worked with great rapidity, and 

 in two days had formed a flask-shaped nest, having covered both 

 the combs and the wire, besides plastering large sheets of paper 

 over the sides of the box. They did not attempt to build upon 

 the glass front, because it was frequently moved in order to in- 

 troduce a supply of sugar. This nest is represented at Fig. 4 in 

 the illustration, and one of the wasps is introduced, in order to 

 show the comparative dimensions of the nest and its architects. 



As the wasps were building at such a rate, it was evident that 

 they would shortly fill the whole box with a shapeless mass of 

 paper. Another similar box was therefore prepared, and the 

 wasps ejected by tapping the box which was already completed. 

 As soon as they were all out, the second box was substituted for 

 the first, and the wasps crowded eagerly into it, and again began 

 their labors. In this box they were allowed to remain for a week, 

 and the result was as seen in Fig. 3. The wasps were now trans- 

 ferred to a third box, in which they labored for four days, and 

 produced a nest somewhat similar to the others, but not quite so 

 symmetrical. 



At this time Mr. Stone fitted up another box with two rows 

 of wire pillars, eight in number, placed with tolerable regularity 

 about two inches apart, and having a, piece of comb at the base 

 and summit of each. In this box the wasps remained for fifteen 

 days, and in that time had covered all the wires and most of the 

 combs, and had nearly filled the box with paper. 



In order that a more symmetrical structure might be produced, 



