OE THE WASP. 87 



their production that I believe belongs to no other kind of animals, 

 and only a few of this kind. 



All animals of distinct sexes, so far as I know, produce distinct 

 sexes ; but for a male and a female of any species to produce naturally 

 one of themselves in every respect but in sex, is I believe peculiar to 

 some of the species of this tribe of insects. 



From these observations we must suppose there are two kinds of 

 wasps bred in every hive ; one kind are the ' male ' and ' female,' 

 which complete the species ; the other land is that which does not 

 breed, although having the female parts, and it constitutes the 

 'workers.' These are not bred promiscuously with the others, as the 

 male and female are, but they have their two stated times. As the 

 first parent requires assistance, the first wasps she breeds are the 

 ' workers ' ; and her instinctive principle goes hand in hand with the 

 necessity for her first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth platforms 

 of combs, all of which have only small cells fit for the hatching of 

 ' workers ' ; so that a hive consists at first only of the queen and 

 workers. The latter are increasing fast ; and we may observe them to 

 be the only useful part of the community ; for neither the males nor 

 young females are probably of much use. About the middle of August 

 or September they are increasing their seventh, eighth and ninth plat- 

 forms, the cells of which, especially of the seventh, are some large, some 

 small, but those of the eighth and ninth are mo'stly large. In the small 

 cells, I believe, the queen lays the eggs that are to be males ; but late 

 in the season, and in the large cells, she lays the eggs that are to form 

 the fertile females ; so that the male and the female are the last that 

 are bred ; the reason of which we shall see by and by. 



Of the Workers. — The workers constitute the largest number in the 

 hive. They are,, upon the whole, the smallest in size, and they have 

 more variety in size among themselves than either the male or female 

 have. They have the female parts of generation, which are extremely 

 faint, but easily distinguished; I never found them impregnated, and, 

 as I have already observed, they have the sting, which also is another part 

 peculiar to the female*. Their belly terminates in a very sharp point, 

 coming to it quickly. Their feelers or horns are shorter than the male ; 

 six scales on each side ; of which the upper overtop the under entirely, 

 and the anterior overtop the one behind. The workers are what are 

 found abroad, especially towards the beginning of the summer. By size 

 alone, they are immediately to be distinguished from the breeding 

 females, but not otherwise ; from the males, to which they come nearest 



* The parts of generation of the working wasp are much more evident in some 

 individuals than in others. (Loose note.) 



