V E S 



frequently in timber-yards, and other fimilar fituations. It 

 is of fmaller fize than that of the wafp, and i/f a fomcwhat 

 globular form, with an opening beneath ; the exterior ftiell 

 confiding of more or fewer layers of the fame ftrong paper- 

 like fubltance with that prepared by the wafp : the cells are 

 alfo of a fimilar nature, but much fewer in number, and lefs 

 elegantly compofed. Tiie hornet, like the wafp, is ex- 

 tremely voracious, and preys on almoft any kind of frefh 

 animal fubftanccs which it can obtain, as well as on honey, 

 fruit, &c. &c. Its fting is greatly to be dreaded, and is 

 often produftive of very ferions confequences. 



A highly elegant wafp's-neft is fometimes feen during the 

 fummer feafon, attached, or hanging as it were, by its bafe 

 to fome ftraw or other projedting fnbftance, from the upper 

 part of unfrequented buildings or outhoufes. It does not 

 much exceed the fize of an egg, but is of a more globular 

 form, and confifts of feveral concentric bells, with confi- 

 derable intervals between each, the interior alone being 

 entire, and furnifhed with a fmall round orifice ; the relt 

 reacliing only about two-thirds from the bafe of the neft. 

 In the centre of the complete or entire bell is fituated the 

 congeries of cells, built round a fmall central pillar attached 

 to the bafe : the cells are not very numerous, and their ori- 

 fices look downwards. This nell is attributed by M- La- 

 treille, in the work entitled " Annales du Mufeum National 

 d'Hilioire Naturelle," No. 4. to the Vefpa Holfatica of Fa- 

 bricius, and appears to be found both in England and France,' 

 as well as in many other parts of Europe. Shaw's Zoo- 

 logy, vol. vi. 



Mr. Ray mentions a peculiar fpecies of wafp, which 

 builds a mucli fmaller neil. This is ufually fixed to a beam 

 of fome old building, and has only one aperture, which is 

 about half an inch wide, and ferves for the wafps to go in 

 and out at. This aperture is always cxadfly oppofite to 

 that part of the hive where it adheres to the beam. The 

 hive or neft is covered with a thin membranaceous fubftance 

 refembling paper, of a brown colour, with ftreaks of white, 

 difpofed in regular circles. The whole neft is about three 

 inches in diameter, and is ufually compofed of about nine 

 crufts ; when thefe are cut away, there appears a round 

 comb in the centre, and a fmaller above it, fixed up by a 

 pedicle arifing from the centre of each. In every one of 

 thefe cells, which are hexagonal, as tliofe of the common 

 wafp, is reared one worm, which, in fine, becomes a 

 wafp. 



The fpecies of wafp which builds in this manner differs 

 from the common wafp in that it is fomewliat larger ; it is 

 fmoother alfo, and has rings of a deeper yellow on the 

 back : the black fpots are not fo regular in this as in the 

 common wafp ; and the forehead in this is of a pcrfeft yel- 

 low, without any fpots. Thefe marks, with the difference 

 of hanging a fmall neft againft a beam, and building a large 

 one in the ground, are fufficicnt to diftinguifh this as an ab- 

 folutely different fpecies. Bcfidcs thefe two, Mr. Ray 

 mentions four other fpecies of wafps. 



We have an account in the Philofophical Tranfaftions, 

 No. 476, of fome wafp-nefts made of clay in Peiuifyl- 

 vania. 



M. Reaumur, in his Hiftory of Infefts, vol. vi. mentions 

 clay-nefts from St. Domingo, fomewliat different from 

 thefe. 



The common wafp has four wings and fix feet ; its body 

 is yellow, witli black triangular fpots : the common wafp 

 breeds in the ground. 



There is another kind much more ■fierce, but very rare : 

 thefe breed in woods and mountains ; they are larger, and 

 have broader bodies, and much mote black about them ; 



Vol. XXXVIl, 



V E S 



their fting is fo large, that it feems difproportioned to the 

 fize of their bodies. The application of vinegar is fcid to 

 be good againft their ftinging. 



To thefe arc to be added the ichneumon wafps, which are 

 fmaller than the others, and have very flender bodies, but of 

 the fame colours with the common kind ; thefe ufually live 

 in the holes of mud-walls, and make a fort of porch of mud 

 before the doors of their habitations. 



Of this infeft, Mr. Ray mentions not lefs than thirty - 

 two fpecies ; the greater part of which are common on the 

 fides of mud-banks in the borders of fields. Thefe have all 

 /lender bodies, and are armed with flings. 



The origin of this creature is very ilrange ; it is ufually 

 found iffuing from the body of the common cabbage cater- 

 pillar ; the occafion of which is this : the parent fly ftrikes 

 her tail through the fl<in of the back of this caterpillar, and 

 depofits her eggs in the creature's flefti. The eggs hatch 

 into fmall maggots of the carnivorous kind ; and thefe prey 

 upon the flefh of the caterpillar till they arrive at their full 

 growth : the creature that fupports them keeping itfelf alive 

 all this time by the vaft quantities of nourifhmeiit it is con- 

 tinually taking in. At length, when thefe worms are ar- 

 rived at their full growth, they (pin themfelves a web, under 

 which they change into chryfales, and foon after come out 

 in form of the fly that laid the egg. This is not peculiar to 

 this fingle fpecies of fiy ; but many are formed thus in the 

 bodies of caterpillars of feveral kinds : fome of tliefe fpin 

 their webs under the flcin of the caterpillar, and eat their 

 way through it, when arrived at their perfctl ftate ; but 

 others crawl out while yet in their worm ilate, after having 

 eaten their full time, and bury themfelves under ground in 

 order to fpin their webs. 



There is alfo another wafp common about Vienna ; this is 

 three times as large as the common kind, and feems of two 

 different fpecies, the one having rough anteniuc, and the 

 other fmooth : they are both variegated with black and a 

 bright yellow. MoiifTet's Hift. Iiifetls, p. 6. 

 V ESP A-Ic/meumon. See the preceding article. 

 VESPASIjE, in Ancient Geography, a place of Italy, in 

 the country of the Sabines, on tlie fuinmit of a mountain, 

 fix miles from >Iur(ia. Many monuments indicating the an- 

 tiquity of the Vefpafian family, are found in this place, ac- 

 cording to Suetonius. 



VESPASIAN, Titus Flavius Vespasianus, in Bio- 

 graphy, a Roman emperor, was born near Reate, in the 

 country of the Sabines, A.D. 7, and brougiit up by his pater- 

 nal grandmother near Cofa, in Tufeany. In the year 38 he 

 was edile, and difgraced himfelf by his adulation of the tyrant 

 Caligula : aftuated by the fame mean fpirit, he married Do- 

 mitia or Domitilla, the miftiefs of a Roman knight. In 

 the reign of Claudius he diftinguifhed himfelf by the com- 

 mand of a legion, obtained for him by the intereft of Nar- 

 ciffus, firft in Germany, and afterwards in Great Britain, 

 and he was rewarded for his iervices by the triumphal orna- 

 ments, a double priefthood, and at lall a confulate. During 

 the early years of Nero's reign he lived in retirement, 

 but at length lie was appointed proconful of Africa ; and 

 in this office he incurred the deteftation of the people, ac- 

 cording to Tacitus, whereas Suetonius fays, that he dif- 

 charged his duties with integrity and dignity. By way of 

 reconciling thefe contradidlory accounts, it has been Haled, 

 that in levying the public impofitions on the province he was 

 rigorous, whilft he exatted nothing for himfelf, and that he 

 adminiftered juilice with impartiality. Upon his return he 

 was reduced to pecuniar)' embarraffinenis, from which he 

 was relieved by mortgaging his landed property, and Dy 

 fome mean pratlices. In the attentions expc(fled from a 

 Q courtier 



