HORNETS : BRITISH AND FOREIGN. 379 
although in such a case the sufferer must previously have 
been in bad health, the poisonous properties of the hornet 
are sufficiently virulent to render such a saying popular. 
Moreover, the hornet is an irascible insect, and given to 
assault those whom it fancies are approaching its nest with 
evil intentions. It is not pleasant to be chased by wasps, 
but to be chased by hornets is still less agreeable, as I can 
personally testify. They are so persevering in their attacks 
that they will follow a man for a wonderfully long distance, 
and if they be struck away over and over again, they will 
return to the charge as soon as they recover from the shock. 
There is a deep, ominous menace m their hum, which speaks 
volumes to those who have some acquaintance with the 
language of insects; and no one who has ever been chased 
by these insects will willingly run the same risk again. 
Mr. S. Stone, whose interesting letter upon the wasp has 
already been mentioned, tells me that he has been successful 
in breeding hornets as well as wasps, and fercing them to 
build nests much more beautiful than they would have made 
if they had been at liberty. One nest, when of moderate 
size, Was removed from ie head of a tree and placed in a 
large giazed box similar to those which have been mentioned 
in connection with the wasp. Within the box the hornets 
continued their labours, and a most beautiful nest was pro- 
duced, symmetrical in shape, and variegated with wonderfully 
rich colours. ‘Such a nest as that,’ writes Mr. Stone, ‘is 
not produced by hornets in a general way. ‘They do not 
trouble themselves to form much of a covering, especially 
when a small cavity in the head of a tree is selected, which 
is often the case. The walls of the chamber they consider a 
sufficient protection for the combs. If you expect them to 
form a substantial covering, the combs must be so placed as 
to have ample space around them, and if you expect them to 
fabricate a covering of great beauty, you must select the 
richest coloured woods, and such as form the most. striking 
contrasts, and place them so that the insects shall be 
induced, nay, almost compelled, to use them in the construc- 
tion of their nest. This is exactly what I did with reference 
to the nest in question.” Knowing from expericnce the 
difficulty of assaulting a hornets’ nest, | asked Mr. Stone how 
he performed the task, and was told that his chief reliance 
was placed on chloroform. Approaching very cautiously a 
the nest, he twists some cotton-wool round the end of 
stick, soaks it in chlor oform, and pushes it mto the aper fe 
