136 IRASCIBILITY OF THE WASP. 



is a firm, compact, and perfectly white surface, as 

 smooth and polished as the finest pasteboard. The 

 accompanying figures represent a nest of a species of 

 wasp, which was found in Oxfordshire, and forwarded 

 to Mr. Westwood. 



But though an Entomologist may take pleasure in 

 observing the labours of wasps, both in constructing 

 their nests and in rearing their young, and look with 

 satisfaction on the ceaseless exertions by which the 

 food necessary for the support of the grubs is pro- 

 cured, he will find few persons who entertain similar 

 ideas ; on the contrary, he will observe, that they 

 are universally regarded as bold, audacious, and dan- 

 gerous intruders. They ahght fearlessly on the 

 viands in our parlours ; they rifle the choicest fruit 

 in our gardens ; and are prompt to avenge with their 

 sting the slightest molestation. 



There is, perhaps, scarcely any person who has not 

 suffered from the wound which this formidable 

 weapon inflicts, by inadvertently provoking the 

 irritable insect by which it is borne. In fact, so 

 easily is its wrathful temperament aroused, that 

 extreme irritability or irascibility can scarcely be ex- 

 pressed by a stronger term than " waspish." It is, 

 accordingly, in this sense, that we find Shakspeare 

 has applied the epithet, " her waspish-headed son," 

 when we are told in the " Tempest," that Cupid is 



