OF NATURAL HISTORY. 351 



nearly In a horizontal pofition. Every ftorey is compofed of a nu- 

 merous aflemblage of hexagonal cells, very regularly conftrudted 

 ■with a matter refembling afh- coloured paper. Thefe cells contain 

 neither wax nor honey, but are folely deftined for containing the 

 eggs, the worms which are hatched from them, the nymphs, and 

 the young wafps till they are able to fly. Wafps nefts are not al- 

 ways compofed of an equal number of combs. They fometimes 

 confift of fifteen, and fometimes of eleven only. The combs are of 

 various diameters. The firft, or uppermoft, is often only two inche* 

 in diameter, while thofe of the middle fometimes exceed a foot. 

 The loweft are alfo much fmaller than the middle ones. All thefe 

 combs, like fo many floors or floreys ranged parallelly above each 

 other, afford lodging to prodigious numbers of inhabitants. Reau- 

 mur computed, from the number of cells in a given portion of comb, 

 that, in a medium fized neft» there were at lead 10,000 cells. This 

 calculation gives an idea of the aftonifhing prolific powers of thefe 

 infe(fls, and of the vaft numbers of individuals produced in a fingle 

 feafon from one neft ; for every cell ferves as a lodging to no lefs 

 than three generations. Hence a moderately fized neft gives birth 

 annually to 30,000 young wafps. 



The different ftoreys of combs are always about half an inch 

 high, which leaves free paflages to the wafps from one part of the 

 neft to another. Thefe intervals are fo fpacious, that, in proportion 

 to the bulk of the animals, they may be compared to great halls, or 

 broad ftreets. Each of the larger combs is fupported by about fifty 

 pillars, which, at the fame time, give folidity to the fabric, and great- 

 ly ornament the whole neft. The lefl'er combs are fupported by the 

 fame ingenious contrivance. Thefe pillars are coarfe, and of a 

 roundifh form. Their bafes and capitals, however, are much larger 

 in diameter than towards the middle. By the one end they are at- 

 Uched to the fuperior comb, and by the other to the inferior. Thus 



between-. 



