THE WORST BEE-ENEMIES. 



165 



leaves of the papyrus, from whence we derive our word 

 paper, to make into books or for writing materials. 



First, about the nest and its construction. Carefully 

 turn it over, or glance beneath, and you observe at the 

 base a small orifice (see the engraving); this is the mouthi 

 or entrance. At the side, often about the centre, is a rim^ 

 of paper completely encircling the nest, and cemented to 

 the sides; this is designed very probably to carry ofF the 

 rain without injuring the inner coat. Sometimes there 

 are two, and I have seen as many as four, rims or hoods j 

 when there are several hoods, it has then, when inverted, 

 a very close resemblance to a double flower. By com- 

 paring the outer envelope which surrounds the nest of the 

 common wasp, we shall find it is made of much the same 

 kind of material as that of the wood-wasp. In my 



NEST OF THE WOOD-WASP (VZSPA SYLVESTRIs). 



country rambles, when lounging by the old wooden stile 

 in our village, the two large posts of which are ash 

 boughs, put carelessly or roughly together by our jack-of- 



