PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS 101 
to survive till the cold cuts off them and the workers to- 
gether. 
The workers are the most numerous, and to us the only 
troublesome part of the community ; upon whom devolves 
the main business of the nest. In the summer and au- 
tumnal months, they go forth by myriads into the neigh- 
bouring country to collect provisions; and on their re- 
turn to the common den, after reserving a sufficiency for 
the nutriment of the young brood, they divide the spoil 
with great impartiality ;—part being given to the females, 
part to the males, and part to those workers that have 
been engaged in extending and fortifying the vespiary. 
This division is voluntarily made, without the slightest 
symptom of compulsion. Several wasps assemble round 
each of the returning workers, and receive their respective 
portions. It is curious and interesting to observe their 
motions upon this occasion. As soon as a wasp, that 
has been filling itself with the juice of fruits, arrives at the 
nest, it perches upon the top, and disgorging a drop of 
its saccharine fluid, is attended sometimes by two at once, 
who share the treasure : this being thus distributed, a se- 
cond and sometimes a third drop is produced, which falls 
to the lot of others. 
Another principal employment of the workers is the en- 
larging and repairing of the nest. It is extremely amus- 
ing to see them engaged upon this foliaceous covering. 
They work with great celerity ; and though a large num- 
ber are occupied at the same time, there is not the least 
confusion. Each individual has its portion of work as- 
signed to it, extending from an inch to an inch and a half, 
and is furnished with a ball of ligneous fibre, scraped, or: 
