WAT 
eite in it no degree of apprehenfion. Whether 
the parent, when flie laid in the infe6t provifion, 
contrived to difable the worms from refiftance, or 
whether they were originally incapable of any, has 
not yet been afcertained: certain it is, that the 
young Wafp feeds on the living fpoil without any 
eontroul; his prey lies within his reach, and he 
devours .one after the other as the calls of appetite 
incite. The life .of the young animal is therefore 
fpent in the moft luxurious manner, till it's whole 
flock of worms is exhaufted ; and then the time 
of , it's transformation begins to approach, when 
fpinning a filken web, it continues fixed in it's 
cell till the increafing heat of the fun prompts it 
to attempt it's enlargement, and perform the du- 
ties it owes to pofterity. 
Though the European Wafps are fufficiently 
mifchievous, yet they may be regarded as harm- 
lefs infeds wlien compared with thofe of the tro- 
pical climates, where all the infedl tribes are not 
only numerous, but large, voracious, and deilruc- 
tive. Thofe of the Weft Indies are thicker, and 
twice as long as common bees. They are of a 
grey colour, ftriped with yellow, and armed with 
very dangerous ftings. They form their cells af- 
ter the manner of a honeycomb, in which their 
young are hatched and bred. They generally fu- 
ipend .dieir nefts by threads, compofed of the fame 
fubftance with their cells, to the branches of trees, 
and the eaves of houfes ; and are feen every where 
'\n great numbers, defcending like fruit, and as 
large as a man's head. The infide is divided into 
three round ftories, full of hexagonal cells, like 
tliofe of an honeycomb. In fome of the Weft 
India illands, thefe infefts are fo excefiively nume- 
rous, that their nefts are. every where fufpended, 
ibmetimes at no greater diftance from each, other 
than two feet ; and the inhabitants are in conti- 
nual apprehenfion from their accidental refent- 
ment. However, it fometim'es happens that no 
precautions avail in warding off their attacks ; 
and the pain attending their fting is faid to be 
more excruciating than that of a fcorpion. 
WASP-FLY. A fpecies of Fly produced from 
the rat-tailed fly-worms ; and nearly refembling 
the wafp in it's external figure. It has only two 
wings ; and is totally deftitute of a fting. 
WASP-TIPULA. An appellation given by 
Reaumur ;to an infed properly belonging to the 
Tipula genus, though greatly refembling a wafp. 
It is produced from a worm, lodged in the mould 
at the bottom of the cavities of old trees, which is 
deftitute of legs. The fly has long legs j and a 
mouth refembling that of the Tipula j with the 
remarkable double beard which covers it, and 
conftitutes the great charafler of this clafs of in- 
fedli. : but then the body is thick and ftiort, con- 
trary to that of the Tipula kind. This, together 
with the breaft, is variegated with black and yel- 
low ftreaks, after the manner of the wafp ; and it's 
antennas are beautifully feathered, and bearded 
like thofe of the males of many of the ,gnat kind. 
The head is black ; and the legs are yellowifh. 
The wings are of a whitifh yellow hue ; and near 
their extremities there is a large fpot of brown. 
The female of this fpecies is always much 
.thicker than the male j by which circumftance 
the fexes are eafily diftinguifhed. 
, WATER-ELEPHANT. See Hippopota- 
mus. 
. WATER-HEN. A name by which fora-c or- 
nithologift* cxprefs the moor-hcn» 
WE A 
WATER-HOG. An appellation given by 
fome naturalifts to thecapybara. See GApyaARA. 
WATER-OUZEL. See Ouzeu 
WATER-RAIL. See Rail. 
WATER-RAT. See Rat and Mus. 
WAX-BILL, East Indian. This beautiful 
little bird, which was firft defcribed by Edwards, 
belongs to the genus loxia of LinniEus. The 
bill is of a moderate fize; and of a fine red colour, 
refembling fealing-wax, from whence it receives 
it's name. From the angle of the mouth paffes a 
long red fpot, broad in the middle, and terminafi-* 
ing in a point about the place of the ear; and in 
the centre of this fpot the eye is fituated. The 
top of the head, the upper fide of the neck, the 
back, and the upper fides, of the wings and tail, 
are of a dark dufky brown colour. The fides of 
the head beneath the red marks are whitifh: the 
breaft becomes gradually of a light afh-colour j the 
fides of the belly, the thighs, and coverts of the tail, 
both above and beneath, are alfo of a light brown- 
ifli afh-colour; and the lower part of the breaft and 
middle of the belly are beautifully marked with a 
longifti red fpot, which gradually lofes Itfelf in 
the brownifh afh-colour that furrounds it. 
The brown plumage of this bird is tranfverfely 
marked with fine lines of a darker colour; and 
the toes, which ftand three forwards, and one back- 
wards, as ufual in moft fmall birds, are dufky. 
Wax-Bill, Red-Rump£d. Tliis curious lit- 
tle bird is a native of Benguela, in Africa. The 
bill refembles red fealing-wax; the head and hind 
part of the neck are cinereous; the back and co- 
verts of the wings arc brown; the primaries are 
duflcy; the belly and breaft' are of a dirty white 
hue; the vent is crofTed with a crimfoh bar; the 
coverts of the tail are of the fame colour; the tail 
is dufky J and the legs are dark grey. 
Wax-Bill, White-Tailed. This fpecies is 
a native of the Brazils. The bill refembles thofe 
of the fame name ; the head and coverts of the 
wings are cinereous; the back is of a rich yellow 
hue;' and the breaft and belly are of the fame co- 
lour, but much paler. The tail is white, excef>t 
the two exterior feathers, which are black; and 
the legs are of a flefhy colour. 
WEASEL. The Weafel kind are charader- 
ized by having fix cutting and two canine teeth in 
each jaw; the nofeftiarp; the body flender; and 
five toes before, with the fame number behind- 
Animals of this fort may be diftinguiflied from 
other carnivorous creatures by their long and fleri- 
der bodies, which enable them, like worms, to in- 
finuate themfelves into very fmall openings in pur- 
fuit of their prey ; and they are actually called ver- 
min from their refembling worms in this particu- 
lar. • In the formation and difpofition of their 
claws, they difFer from all thofe of the cat kind, 
as they can neither extend nor contract them like 
the feline fpecies. They are cloathed with fur 
rather than hair; and in this refpeft they vary 
from the dog tribe. All of this kind, however, 
are more diftiniftly marked by their adlions and 
difpolitions than by their external forms : they 
are all cruel, cowardly, and voracious ; fubfifting 
only by theft, and principally prote6led by their 
fmallnefs and infignificancy. Having fhort legs, 
they arc flow in purfuit; and obtain a fiapport by 
cunningj patience, and aflidiiity. Their prey be- 
ing precarious, they often fubfifta long time with- 
out food : bur, when fuccefsful, they deftroy all 
around them before they begin to f«ed ; and^fuclc 
