286 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



these curves accommodating themselves beautifully to the gen- 

 eral form of the nest. At the top is a nearly globular mass of 

 brown, paper-like substance, ■which is apparently the nucleus of 

 the nest. The first comb closely surrounds this globular mass, 

 leaving only a small interval between them, so that it forms part 

 of a hollow sphere, and a section of it would present a form like 

 that of the capital letter laid on its back. 



The rest of the combs follow in regular order, the curve of each 

 becoming shallower, until the last is but slightly depressed in the 

 centre. . They are carried to the sides of the nest and thereto at- 

 tached, except in a few places, where an open space is left between 

 the edge of the comb and the side of the nest, so as to allow the 

 wasps to have access to the different tiers of cells. As is the case 

 with most of the wasp tribe, the tiers are single, and the mouths 

 of the combs are all downward. 



The depth of the cells, and consequently the thickness of the 

 combs, varies according to their position in the nest, the upper 

 cells being the largest, and those below the smallest. The lon- 

 gest cells are from five to seven lines in length, and the shortest 

 about two lines. The material of which they are made is the 

 same as that of which the exterior is formed, and is of quite as 

 dark a color. In texture, however, it is much slighter, being very 

 thin and paper-like. These cells extend to the very edges of the 

 combs, of which there are fourteen in the present specimen. The 

 length of the nest is sixteen inches, and its diameter in the wid- 

 est part is one foot. 



In the upper combs was discovered a quantity of honey, which, 

 when it was found, was hard and dry, of a deep brownish-red, 

 and without either taste or scent. De Azara mentions that him- 

 self and some of his men ate the honey of the Myrapetra, and 

 that it was of a deleterious character. Another species of honey- 

 making wasp, Polistes Lichegvmia, a native of Brazil, was discov- 

 ered by M. St. Hilaire, who mentions that it lays up in the nest a 

 large provision of honey, which is very injurious to mankind, on 

 account of the poisonous plants from which it is taken. Polistes 

 gallica also fills its cells with honey, which, however, does not 

 seem to be poisonous. 



Within the nest were found also the remains of insects. There 

 was the body of a black fly, which belongs or is allied to the genus 

 Bibio, and the remains of a neuropterous insect, which apparently 

 belongs to the genus Hemerobius. 



