SAMOUELLE S 



cells which contain them. When they are hatched;, 

 it is amusing to witness the activity with which the 

 female runs from cell to cell, putting her head into 

 those in which the grubs are very young, while those 

 which are more advanced in age thrust their heads 

 out of their cells, and by little movements seem to 

 be asking for their food. As soon as they receive 

 their portion, they draw them back and remain 

 quiet. These she feeds until they become pupa? ; 

 and within twelve hours after being excluded in their 

 perfect state, they eagerly set to work in construct- 

 ing fresh cells, and in lightening the burthen of 

 their parent by assisting her in feeding the grubs of 

 Other workers and females which are by this time 

 born. In a few weeks the society will have received 

 an accession of several hundred workers and many 

 females, which without distinction apply themselves 

 to provide food for the growing grubs, now become 

 exceedingly numerous. With this object in view, as 

 they collect little or no honey from flowers, they are 

 constantly engaged in predatory expeditions. One 

 party will attack a hive of bees, a grocer's sugar 

 hogshead, or other saccharine repository ; or, if 

 these fail, the juice of a ripe peach or pear. You 

 will be less indignant than formerly at these auda- 

 cious robbers now you know that self is little consi- 

 dered in their attacks, and that your ravaged fruit 

 has supplied an exquisite banquet to the most tender 

 grubs of the nest, into whose extended mouths the 

 successful marauders, running with astonishing agi- 

 lity from one cell to another, disgorge successively 

 a small portion of their booty in the same way that 



