174. LIFE, IN ITS INTERMEDIATE FORMS. 
pletely filled. These colls, however, are never used as 
honey-pots by Wasps, as they are by Bees : for Wasps 
make no honey, and the cells are wholly appropriated to 
the rearing of their young. Like other Hymenopterous 
Insects, the grubs are placed with their heads downwards ; 
and the openings of the cells are also, downwards ; while 
their united bottoms form a nearly uniform level, upon 
which the inhabitants of the nest may walk. 
« When the foundress Wasp has completed a certain 
number of cells, and deposited eggs in them, she soon in- 
termits her building operations, in order to procure food 
for the young grubs, which now require all her care. In 
a few weeks these become perfect Wasps, and lend their 
assistance in the extension of the edifice ; enlarging the 
original coping of the foundress by side walls, and forming 
another platform of cells, suspended to the first by 
columns, as that had been suspended to the ceiling. 
“ In this manner several platforms of combs are con- 
structed, the outer walls being extended at the same time ; 
and, by the end of the summer, there are generally from 
twclvo to fifteen platforms of cells. Each contains about 
1060 cells — forty-nine being contained in an inch and a 
half square, and, of course, making the enormous number 
of about 16,000 cells in one colony. Reaumur, upon 
these data, calculates that one vespiary may produce every 
year more than 30,000 Wasps, reckoning only 10,000 
cells, and each serving successively for the cradle of three 
generations. But, although the whole structure is built 
at the expense of so much labour and ingenuity, it has 
scarcely been finished before the winter sets in, when it 
becomes nearly useless, and serves only for the abode of a 
