THE COMMON WASP. 367 



substance somewhat like paper, the surface of 

 which is rough and irregular. In these walls, or ra- 

 ther in this external covering, two holes are left for 

 passages to the combs, one of which is uniformly 

 adopted for entrance, and the other as a passage 

 out. The interior of the nest consists of several 

 stories or floors of combs, which are parallel to each 

 other, and nearly in an horizontal position. Every 

 story is composed of a numerous assemblage of hex- 

 agonal cells, very regularly constructed, of a matter 

 resembling a kind of ash-coloured paper. These 

 cells contain neither wax nor honey, but are solely 

 destined for containing the eggs, the worms which 

 are hatched from them, the chrysalids, and the: 

 young wasps till they are able to fly. The combs 

 are from eleven to fifteen in number. Reaumur 

 computed the number of cells in the combs of a 

 middle-sized nest to be at least ten thousand; and, 

 as eveiy cell serves for no less than three genera- 

 tions, a nest of this description would annually give 

 birth to thirty thousand young Wasps. 



The different stories of combs are always about 

 half an inch high, which leaves free passages to the 

 Wasps from one part of the nest to another. Kach 

 of the larger combs is supported by about fifty pil- 

 lars, which, at the same time that they give solidity 

 to the fabric, greatly ornament the whole nest. The 

 lesser combs are supported by the same contrivance. 

 The Wasps begin at the top and work downward 

 the uppermost comb being first constructed, and at- 

 tached to the superior part of the external covering. 

 The second comb is afiixed to the bottom of the first-, 



