THE HORNET. 459 



aperture. A mighty buzzing immediately arises, but is soon si- 

 lenced by the chloroform, and as soon as this result has happened, 

 mallet, chisel, and saw are at work, until the renewed buzzing tells 

 that the warlike insects are recovering their senses, and will soon 

 be able to use their formidable weapons. The chloroform is then 

 reapplied until they are quieted, and the tools are again taken up. 



The extrication of a nest from a hollow tree is necessarily a 

 long and tedious process, on account of the frequent interruptions. 

 Even if the insects did not interfere with the work, the labor of 

 cutting a nest out of a tree is much harder than could be imagined 

 by those who have not tried it. 



Moreover, the habits of Hornets are not quite like those of the 

 wasps. At night all the wasps retire into their nest, and in the 

 dead of night the nest may be approached with perfect safety, the 

 last stragglers having come home. Hornets are apt to continue 

 their work through the greater part of the night, and if the moon 

 be up, they are nearly sure to do so ; therefore the nest-hunters 

 are obliged to detail one of their party as a sentinel, whose sole 

 business it is to watch for the Hornets that come dropping in at 

 intervals, laden with building materials or food, and that would at 

 once dash at the intruders upon their domains. Fortunately, the 

 light from the lanterns seems to blind them, and they can be 

 struck down as they fly to and fro in the glare. 



The nest that has just been mentioned was rather deeply im- 

 bedded in the tree, and cost no less than six hours of continuous 

 labor, the work of excavation having been begun at eight P.M., 

 and the nest extracted at two A.M. on the following morning. 



In the illustration is seen a portion of a lately-begun nest, much 

 reduced in size, as may be conjectured from the dimensions of the 

 insects that are crawling upon it. As the arrangement of the 

 combs is identical with that of the wasp-nest, the interior is not 

 disclosed. Another reason for showing the exterior of the nest is 

 that the reader might see how the Hornet forms the paper-like 

 cover, and the manner in which the insects can enter at different 

 parts, instead of having but a single entrance, as is the case with 

 several hymenopterous nests which have been mentioned. 



In many parts of Brazil there may be seen the social nests of 

 certain hymenopterous insects, which are very aptly termed Sy- 

 nceca, this name being derived from two Greek words which sig- 

 nify sociality. 



