COMMON WASP. 
398 
Hexagons approach the nearest to a circular figure, 
and have all their sides exactly adhering to each 
other; so that there is no useless or unnecessary va- 
cancy between them, and every lodge, weak as it 
is, becomes firmly fixed by its coincidence with 
others. — Sufficient room is left between the different 
stories for the wasps to have a free passage from one 
to the other. 
The inhabitants of these curious mansions may 
be divided into three kinds. First, the females, who 
are large, and originally very inconsiderable in 
number. Secondly, the males, who are more nu- 
merous and nearly as large. Lastly, the mules, 
that is to say, wasps that are consigned to the most 
laborious employments, and are neither males nor 
females ; these are much smaller than the others, 
but so numerous that they form the commonalty of 
the nation. There are also three kinds of labours 
wherein the wasps are employed. First, the build- 
ing of the nest ; secondly, the providing of food ; 
and thirdly, the laying of eggs, and the care of 
their young. The first of these labours we have 
already considered, but it remains for us to give 
some account of the other two. 
Wasps are bold, rapacious, and troublesome in- 
sects : they are very injurious to gardens, being 
extremely fond of fruit, and therefore frequently 
lodge themselves in the neighbourhood of grapes, 
peaches, apricots, &c., upon which they commit 
the most unmerciful depredations. All sorts of 
sweets, indeed, are so much to their taste that there 
