350 THE PHILOSOPHY 



wax. Impelled by an inftindlve love of pofterity, they, with great 

 labour, fkill, and afliduity, conftrud combs, which are likewife com- 

 pofed of hexagonal or fix-fided cells. Though thefe cells are not 

 made of wax, they are equally proper for the reception of eggs, and 

 for affording convenient habitations to the worms which proceed 

 from them till their transformation into wafps. 



In general, the cells of the wafps are formed of a kind of paper, 

 which, with great dexterity, is fabricated by the animals themfelves. 

 The number of combs and cells in a wafp's neft is always propor- 

 tioned to the number of individuals aflbciated. Different fpecies 

 choofe different fituations for building their nefts. Some expofe their 

 habitations to all the injuries of the air ; others prefer the trunks of 

 decayed trees; and others, as the common kind, of which we are 

 principally treating, conceal their nefts under ground. The hole 

 which leads to a wafp's neft is about an inch in diameter. This hole 

 is a kind of gallery mined by the wafps, is feldom in a ftraight line, 

 and varies in length from half a foot to two feet, according to the 

 diftance of the neft from the furface of the ground. When expofed 

 to view, the whole neft appears to be of a roundifh form, and fome- 

 times about twelve or fourteen inches in diameter. It is ftrongly 

 fortified all round with walls or layers of paper, the furface of which 

 is rough and irregular. In thefe walls, or rather in this external 

 covering, two holes are left for pafTages to the combs. The 

 wafps uniformly enter the neft by one hole, and go out by the other, 

 which prevents any confufion or interruption to their common la- 

 bours. 



We are now arrived at the gates of this fubterraneous city, which, 

 though fmall, is extremely populous. Upon removing the external 

 covering, we perceive that the whole interior part confifts of feveral 

 ftoreys or floors of combs, which are parallel to each other, and 



nearly 



