OF THE HORNET. 81 



unravelled by dividing the small twigs of air -vessels which go to 

 them. 



The reservoir or bag for the poison is placed under the fourth and 

 fifth scale of the back of the abdomen, and is about the size of a very- 

 small pea ; it is of an oval figure and of a shining tendinous appearance. 

 It is not a plain uniform bag, but the fibres of which it is composed 

 take different directions, and there are small furrows in the direction of 

 those fibres. It seems always turgid, and, when cut into, has but a 

 small cavity in its centre. At the opposite end of this bag arises a duct 

 for the conveying the poison to the sting, which is about one-eighth of 

 an inch in length, of the thickness of a horsehair and very transparent, 

 which is continued on the sting. The females only have stings 1 . 



Loose Notes. 



The comb of the common bee is all of one colour, although the mate- 

 rial brought in on the legs is of various tints of yellow, therefore some 

 change is produced [in that material]. The same of the humble-bee. 

 The combs of the hornet and wasp are of a darker and lighter colour, 

 and that pretty regularly variegated. We should naturally suppose 

 that the materials were of very different tints, they therefore probably 

 undergo some change. 



If the hornets' nest is taken away with only a little left, they begin 

 anew. The males are the workers ; they fly abroad for food, and feed 

 upon ripe fruit, as grapes, in the beginning of October, while the females 

 remain at home. They eat meat and ripe fruit, especially if it contains 

 much sugar, as ripe figs : they are fond of sugar when wetted. 



In the maggot-hornet, we see on each side ten dark spots, or tracheal 

 openings [stigmata]. In the winged insect seven of the lower [openings] 

 belong to the abdomen, and three to the trunk : the first [hindmost] of 

 the trunk is behind the wings ; one is between the [hind and fore] 

 wings ; and one is before the upper [or fore] wing. 



I fed young hornets in the maggot state with bits of meat, by putting 

 it in between their nippers when they opened them. The maggot- 

 hornet, when full-grown, spins its web over the mouth of the cell, but 

 not on the inside. When they have spun themselves in, then they 

 change their maggot coat. 



Mr. Grant saw only one hornet at Gibraltar. 



" Beckenham, Dec. 4, 1784. 



" Dear Sib, — People never give attention to matters which are con- 

 tinually before their eyes ; and, therefore, I do not find it easy to collect 



1 [Hunt. Prep. No. 2156.] 



