OF THE WASP. 83 



them. Then the order becomes inverted, and we find the youngest to- 

 wards the centre, and the oldest towards the circumference, while there 

 are new-formed empty cells on the outer edge of all. But this order at 

 last becomes irregular ; and they go on in irregular succession : the 

 centre cells at first held eggs, while the circumference was only forming ; 

 the cells, here, have eggs when the centre cells have maggots ; and then 

 the circumference-cells have maggots when the centre ones have chry- 

 salises, and by the time that the circumference-cells have chrysalises, 

 the centre cells have a second set of eggs ; for every platform produces 

 several successions of broods. At the latter periods in the season, when the 

 lower platforms are making, we have the same succession going on in 

 them, but they are larger cells, having the eggs, maggots, and chry- 

 salises of the males and young queens in them; and sometimes we 

 shall have in the last platform small cells, and either queen-eggs, 

 maggots or chrysalises in them. By this time the upper tiers are for- 

 saken, although they may be still forming lower tiers of large cells ; 

 and, towards the latter part of the season, we have only the lower cells, 

 filled with queens and males ; and in the month of October only queen 

 chrysalises in the lowest of all. 



Of laying the Eggs and Breeding. — I have already observed, in the 

 description of the formation of the comb or platform, that, as soon as 

 she [the mother- wasp] had begun her first platform, consisting of only 

 three or four cells, she immediately lays in each an egg, even before they 

 are completely deep, which eggs are hatching while this platform is 

 enlarging in the number of cells ; and she continues to employ the 

 cells as they are forming. The grubs, when hatched, she must feed ; 

 and, probably, the cell not being complete, fits it better for her to 

 perform this duty ; for it appears impossible for her to get to the 

 bottom of one of the small cells when complete. 



At this time she has a great deal of employment till the offspring 

 are capable of providing for themselves and of assisting her ; then they 

 probably leave her entirely to the office of laying eggs ; and they are 

 employed in future in carrying on the increase of the building. Im- 

 mediately upon the formation of a few cells in the second partition the 

 female lays eggs, so that the laying of eggs goes on progressively with 

 the formation of the cells. On removing a part of the external case 

 and looking in laterally between the platforms and observing their 

 actions, we may see that they most commonly pass along the under sur- 

 face of the platform witb their backs downward, by which means they 

 can more readily pay attention to their young. At the time the 

 young queens are beginning to be formed, the nest consists only of 

 queens and labourers, and it is now at the fullest respecting labourers ; 



g2 



