The Hornet. 409 



Chinese choose a valley for a cemetery, as that of the Vale of Tombs near 

 the lake See Hoo. {fig. 95.) The Chinese burying-place near the Yellow 

 River {fig. 97.) is a specimen of a cemetery on high ground." (Encyc. of 

 Gard., ed, 1834, p. .338.) 



{To he continued.) 



Art. IV. On the Hornet. By J. Wighton. 



Some persons doubt if the hornet mentioned in Holy Writ be the same kind 

 as our hornet : they ground their doubt on the fact that hornets, like wasps, 

 will seldom attack or sting any one without provocation. This, however, is 

 groundless ; for He who sent the hornet as a scourge on the Canaanites 

 would make them fulfil it; and, though we are not told of the fulfilment of 

 the scourge, still we may conclude that it was fulfilled, and that too dread- 

 fully. But be all this as it may, though the hornet be not the largest stinging 

 insect we have, still it is the most formidable one. Fortunately hornets are 

 not so numerous as their fellow species the wasps, otherwise they would 

 strike terror, especially to those that startle at the sight of a wasp or a bee, 

 I have conversed with several who have been stung by hornets, and they 

 said the pain was great : I have been thrice stung by them myself, and, except 

 in one, the pain was not much greater than I have felt from the sting of a 

 wasp ; and that was not enough to make me believe the old saying, that 

 " nine hornets could sting a horse to death." Some feel more pain from a sting 

 than others ; there are even instances of persons dying from the sting of a 

 bee, but such are rare occurrences, such as that of a prick from a pin or 

 thorn causing death. However, I wish none to be stung by hornets ; my 

 object is only to mention something about their habits. In doing this, I find 

 I can glean but little from authors : they merely say that the hornet is a 

 species of wasp, and their habits are similar. Professor Wilson, however, 

 observes that the Fespa CVabro (the hornet) has never appeared in Scotland. 

 Though the hornet is a species of wasp, indeed it may be called the king 

 of the wasps, yet it differs a little from the wasp in its habits : for instance, 

 the hornet rarely builds its nest in the ground, and we never find it sus- 

 pended from a branch in the open air. A dry hollow tree, and somewhere 

 under the roof of a shed or barn, are the favourite sites of the hornet. When 

 in possession of either of the latter places, their nest may be seen fixed to a 

 spar by several little props or pillars, having a large opening below : in this 

 respect it differs from the wasps' nests, especially those seen upon a branch ; 

 they are closed below, except a small hole or two to enter at. The opening is 

 to allow the excrement from the insects to pass through, it being far greater 

 than from wasps ; so much so, that from a strong colony of hornets a filthy 

 fluid is always dropping. In spring, the hornet, like the wasp, begins her nest 

 alone. Both collect their materials from decayed wood, and the hornet 

 chooses that which is more decayed. It seems doubtful if either use saliva 

 or resin from trees in working up the materials. Hornets may be seen enter- 

 ing their nest with clear drops in their mouths, which differ neither in touch 

 nor taste from water : whether this fluid is to carry on the structure, or to 

 feed the brood, I cannot rightly say ; but I suspect it is for the former 

 purpose. The materials, being so very dry, of course require moisture before 

 they can be formed into paper, which is of a coarser texture than that formed 

 by the wasp. Both rear their structures nearly alike, except that the hornets' 

 cells are made larger ; viz. the combs are ranged horizontally, and form many 

 distinct |)arallel stories, supported by many little pillars ; more are added as 

 the weight increases, and they are sometimes attached to the cocoons of the 

 insects while in their cells, and are cut through when they come forth. The 

 mouths of the cells are downwards ; consequently the tops of the combs are 



