OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



349 



of honey, if this difcovery were fufficiently attended to, confiderable 

 fums annually expended in importing wax into this kingdom from 

 the Continent might be faved. The pradice of this new art, Mr 

 Schirach informs us, has already extended itfelf through Upper Lu- 

 fatia, the Palatinate, Bohemia, Bavaria, Silefia, and Poland. In fome 

 of thefe countries, it has excited the attention, and acquired the pa- 

 tronage, of government. The Emprefs of Ruffia, who never lofes 

 fight of a fingle article by which the induftry, and, of courfe, the 

 happinefs of her fubjeds can be augmented, has fent a proper perfon 

 to Klein Bautzen to be inftruded in the general principles, and to 

 learn all the minutiae of this new and important art. 



Wafps, like the bees, aflbciate in great numbers, and conftrud, 

 with much dexterity and fkill, a common habitation. There are 

 many fpecies of wafps, fome of which unite into focieties, and others 

 fpend their lives in perfedl folitude. But, in this place, we {hall 

 confine our attention to the operations of the common aflbciating 

 wafp, an infedl fo well known, even to children, that it requires no 

 defcription. Though bees, as well as wafps, are armed with a fting, 

 yet the former may be regarded as a placid and harmlefs race. Bees 

 are continually occupied with their own labours. Their chief care 

 is to defend themfelves; and they never take nourifliment at the ex- 

 pence of any other animal. Wafps, on the contrary, are ferocious 

 animals, who live entirely on rapine and deftrudion. They kill 

 and devour every infedt that is inferior to them in ftrength. But, 

 though warlike and rapacious in their general manners, they are 

 poliflied and peaceable among themfelves. To their young they 

 difcover the greateft tendernefs and afFedtion. For their protedlion 

 and conveniency no labour is fpared ; and the habitations they con- 

 ftrudt do honour to their patience, addrefs, and fagacity. Their ar- 

 chitedure, like that of the honey-bee, is fuiyular, and worthy of 

 admiration y but the materials employed farniih neither honey nor 



was* 



