380 THE REV. F. A. WALKER, D.D., F.L.8., ON 
A mighty buzzing immediately arises, but is soon silenced by 
the chloroform, and as soon as this result has happened, 
mallet, chisel, and saw are at work, until the renewed buzzing 
tells that the warlike insects are recovering their senses, and 
will soon be able to use their formidable weapons. ‘The 
chloroform is then reapplied until they are quieted, and the 
tools are again taken up. The extrication of a nest from a 
hollow tree is necessarily a long and tedious process, on 
account of the frequent interruptions. Even if the insects 
did not interfere with the work, the labour of cuttmg a nest 
out of a tree is much harder than could be imagined by 
those who have not tried it. Moreover, the habits of hornets 
are not quite like those of the wasps. At night, all the wasps 
retire into their nest, and in the dead of night, the nest may 
be approached with perfect safety, the last stragglers having 
come home. Hornets are apt to continue their work through 
the greater part of the night, and if the moon be up, they are 
nearly sure to do so. Therefore the nest hunters are obliged 
to detail one of their party as a sentinel, whose sole business 
it is to watch for the hornets that come dropping in at 
intervals, laden with building materials or food, and that 
would at once dash at the intruders upon their domains. 
Fortunately, the light from the lanterns seems to blind them, 
and they can be struck down as they fly to and fro in the 
glare. The nest that has just been mentioned was rather 
deeply embedded in the tree, and cost no less than six hours 
of continuous labour, the work of excavation having been 
begun at 8 P.M. and the nest extracted at 2 a.M. on the 
following morning.” 
Compare the following observations respecting the occur- 
rence of Vespa crabro as contributed by correspondents on 
different occasions to the pages of the Hntomologist :— 
November 20th, 1893. 
* Birmingham Entomological Society. 
“Males, females, and neuters of Vespa crabro from Astwood 
Bank were exhibited by Mr. R. C. Bradley. 
“On December 18th some fine specimens of Vespa erabro from 
Alvechurch, where it has been unusually abundant, were 
exhibited by Mr. H. J. Sands.” 
