7364 Insects. 



whose untimely death Science has eAciy reason to deplore. In the mean time I 

 matured the plan of attack and made the necessary preparatiojis, having four 

 objects in view, the first of which was to take the nest, the second to take it with- 

 out running the risk of getting stung, the third to take it at the time Velleius would 

 be likely to be found in it, and lastly to take it wiihoul destroying the insects 

 belonging to it, so that the work might be carried on after I had got possession of it, 

 which of course vastly increased the difficulties that had to be surn)ounted. My first 

 care was to have two dresses made, one for myself and the other for the person 

 I engaged to assist me, which should render the wearers proof against attack, even if 

 by any accident the whole colony chanced to rush out in an infuriated state. 

 These dresses were easily and quickly made, the two having occupied one pair of 

 hands but a few hours. The legs, body and sleeves were of unbleached calico; the 

 part from the shoulders upwards of lino, in order that the wearers might be enabled 

 to see what they were about. They somewhat resembled a couple of sacks, with 

 legs attached to the bottom, and sleeves inserted in the proper places for the arms. 

 Each dress was made to reach, when put on, above the head and hat of the wearer, 

 when a string could be passed round the top and there securely tied. Gloves of stout 

 sheepskin, dressed with the wool on, were provided, and to these short sleeves 

 were attached, which when drawn on could be securely tied over the sleeves of the 

 dress. Large woollen stockings were also provided, which could be drawn over the 

 boots and over the legs of the dress, and there secured by strings. A dress of this 

 kind gives a feeling of perfect security to the wearer, thus enabling him to go to 

 his work with confidence, coolness and self-possession : it is thus of some value, even 

 if no accident occurs, in capturing insects of so formidable a character as hornets, 

 while in case of accident its value is beyond calculation. A couple of long narrow 

 lino bags, in which to place and bring away the captured insects, were got ready, and 

 a glazed box, in which the work of the nest could be carried on, made, as also 

 an apparatus for introducing the chloroform, consisting simply of a short tin tube, 

 corked at both ends, with a small optning about the middle, the tube being about the 

 size of a quarter-ounce bottle ; it had a slight handle, three or four inches in length, 

 and was loosely filled with cotton-wool : a quantity' of soft and well-tempered clay 

 was prepared, and on the evening of the 7th of September I met my assistant, by 

 appointment, near the "scene of action," taking with me, in addition to the articles 

 enumerated and described above, a bull's-eye lantern, matches, chloroform, mallet, 

 chisels, saw, a small box in which to place the bag or bags of captured insects, and 

 a "laurel-bottle" in which to place Velleius, if we chanced to be fortunate enough 

 to meet with a specimen. It having become sufliciently dark, we proceeded to 

 unpack our wardrobe and dress for the parts we were respectively about to per- 

 form. This done we made our appearance on the st.ige; I advancing with a mass — ■ 

 some might think "mess" a more appropriate or expressive term — of clay in one hand 

 and bull's-eye in the other, and my assistant with clay in eiich hand: this we hastily 

 deposited upon the entrance to the nest, which we forthwith began to plaster 

 up, but as 



" There are more things in Heaven and earlh, Hoialio, 

 Than are dreamt of in your philosophy, " 



SO these insects had more places for 



" Their exits and their entrances " 



