THEIR XESTS, 135 



colour, rough on the surface, and extremely thin, and 

 retains those characteristics, whether it be under 

 ground, or suspended to the branches of a tree. Our 

 home manufacturer, if I may venture to use the ex- 

 pression, is greatly surpassed by that of some more 

 tropical countries. I have at present in my cabinet 

 a wasp's nest, from Berbice, in South America. It 

 is about six inches in height, bell- shaped in its 

 general form, and seventeen inches in circumference 

 at its lower margin. A twig, to which it has been 

 attached, passed through two apertures at the top; 

 and a somewhat larger opening at the lowest part, 

 formed the entrance to the interior of the nest, pro- 

 tected from rain by the manner in which it project- 

 ed beyond the adjacent parts. In this specimen. 



fVasps'' Nest. 



the rough surface and loose flakes of the tree-nests 

 of this country have disappeared, and in their place 



