OBSERVATIONS IN ENGLAND. 129 



never in my experience in various parts of the kingdom have they done 

 so much damage. The early dry hot spring brought out the queens at 

 such an unusually early date, that the development of brood was 

 strengthened. I may note that on March 27th, I took a nest from a 

 Thuja tree, two inches by one and three-quarter inches, since that 

 time one hundred and twenty-seven nests have been taken within the 

 gardens. I have not found anything so effectual and easy as cyanide 

 of potassium.. The Gooseberry crop was completely cleared when 

 approaching ripeness; quite two-thirds of the Pears have been 

 damaged and destroyed ; Apples about one-third ; Plums about half." * 



Sussex. — The following notes, kindly contributed by Mr. Charles 

 Eobinson, of Truleigh, Beeding, refer especially to farm damage, and 

 inconvenience caused by Wasps, in respect of attacks on horses, and 

 also in stings to labourers in the field ; and likewise to benefit from 

 Wasps destroying flies in cattle sheds, points on which Mr. Eobinson's 

 large occupancy of ground, amounting to two thousand acres, on the 

 Sussex downs, near Brighton, gave him full opportunity of observation. 

 Mr. Eobinson wrote as follows : — " It is a fact that we have had a full 

 share of the ' Wasp plague ' in this part of Sussex, but except 

 incidentally, I do not think that agriculture (as the term is generally 

 understood) has suffered thereby. 



"There have been several instances hereabouts of teams having 

 been driven from the field when they have trod on, or ploughed up, 

 Wasps' nests ; and our Bean cutters got sadly stung at their work, it 

 being almost impossible to handle the crop without also handling the 

 Wasps that settled in vast numbers upon the Bean plants. Their 

 object was evidently the pursuit of tlie Aphides with which the Beans 

 were this year infested, and in preying upon these they were helping 

 to rid the farmer of a most destructive enemy, though apparently they 

 made but a small impression on the vast number of Aphides. 



" The Wasps unquestionably destroy a great number of flies about 

 the cattle-stalls, &c. I believe they prefer the blood-sucking variety, 

 and often get these when they are gorged with freshly drawn blood 

 from the beasts. The clumsiness of the Wasp in pursuit of active 

 flies is sometimes curiously apparent, and if a door in the bright sun- 

 shine happens to be studded with nail-heads, about the size of flies, 

 Wasps may often be seen trying to seize them. 



"The 'real damage' they have done, and are doing, is to fruit, 

 particularly Pears, and the higher qualities of Apples. Many of these 



* Mr. T. P. Newman, of Hazelhurst, Haslemere, to whose kind co-operation I 

 am indebted for procuring me most of the foregoing and foHowing reports on Wasp 

 presence in Surrey and Sussex, mentioned to me that the above Wasp damage was 

 notwithstanding Mr. Evans having many thousand bags placed on the fruit. 



