OF THE HORNET. 75 



middle answering the largest diameter of the shell and becoming 

 narrower towards the top, as also towards the bottom. These horizontal 

 platforms are composed of combs or cells, distinct in themselves, but 

 each side is common to it and its next cell. Each cell is a kind of 

 cylinder with a mouth and bottom ; and the platform is composed of 

 these, being placed nearly parallel to each other, with the mouths on one 

 side, the bottoms on the other ; one side making a series of cells, the other 

 making a pretty smooth surface ; however, as the bottoms are a little 

 rounded, the surface looks like a pavement. 



The mouths of the cells are downward, making a kind of ceiling 

 composed of compartments, and the bottoms of the cells make a floor 

 above. A cell is not a perfect cylinder, but is rather narrower at the 

 bottom, and a little bent, which makes them diverge more and more as 

 they are further from the centre ; the centre one being perpendicular, 

 and those on the circumference a little oblique ; and also, by their taking 

 a little bend, this curve becomes more and more towards the circum- 

 ference. 



Hornets work day and evening till about eight o'clock, in September ; 

 that is, they go out and into their cells till that time, as I was informed 

 by Mr. Eden's gardener ; and when I went to take the nest about eight 

 o'clock on the 24th of September, they were then going out, and others 

 coming in. An old stump of an oak-tree, rotten on one side, afforded 

 them plenty of materials for building with, of which they had availed 

 themselves : they were busy, and had carried off a great deal of it. They 

 are not so easily disturbed as bees and are not so ready to make an attack: 

 they are less offensive than the wasp : but this is probably owing to the 

 females only having the power of attack, and seldom leaving the hive 

 or nest. 



Hornets are distinct males and females. The females are rather 

 more numerous than the males. There is great variety in the sizes of 

 both males and females ; but not so great in the male as in the female. 

 The males in general are, in size, between the largest and smallest of 

 the females : this I apprehend is owing to the largest females having 

 eggs in them, which always increases the size. 



Of the Males. — The males may be easily distinguished from the 

 females by several well-marked differences. The first and most con- 

 spicuous is the horns [antennas], which in the males are longer by one 

 half, are thicker, and the first joint from the head is only one-third of 

 the length of that in the female : the circular joints to the end of the 

 horns are as long again as in those of the female. The head is smaller, 

 and on the top of the head there is a black mark resembling a crescent, 

 on which is placed three small eyes at right angles from one another, 



