CORRESPONDENCE. 
83 
u Queen Wasps” are exceedingly numerous this Spring : they were out earlier 
than usual, and still continue very busy about the hedge-rows. It is asserted 
(see p. S3, note) that Earl Fitz william gives a shilling for every Wasp, “ dead 
or alive,” brought to him in the months of April and May; amounting sometimes 
to £5 or £6. If this be true, the demand upon his lordship’s purse this season 
for Wasp-slaying is likely to exceed his income from his Bees, for in this neigh¬ 
bourhood very few hives have swarmed, whilst many cottagers have lost their 
old stocks during the Winter; in truth the Bees have done but little yet to 
repay the trouble and expence of keeping them. Is it not doubtful whether the 
plan of destroying Wasps in the Spring is of service to the hives? Wasps are 
notorious cowards, and never attack strong stocks. If they gain an entrance it 
must be because the Bees are few in number, weak, and of no use to their 
owners. Wasps are more partial to inert masses of sugar, fruit, and raw flesh, 
than to giving chase to Bees laden with their honied spoil. I have tried their tastes 
in various ways—have captured and brought home Wasps’ nests, and kept them 
on purpose for observation, and I have ever found them giving the preference to 
food ready prepared and at hand, to the trouble of dissecting the Hive or 
Humble Bee. Much may be said in favour of this beautiful tribe of insects.—< 
of its affection for the young brood,—of its industrious habits,—and of its 
attacking nothing but what it requires for food; though it possesses in its sting 
a formidable instrument of pain. I once brought home a nest containing forty- 
three Wasps, with a number of young in all stages. On examining it the 
following morning, I missed the queen, and so had the Wasps; for on my opening 
the lid they one and all quickly sallied out. I went to the old haunt, found the 
queen injured, and incapable of flight. I brought her home, put her into the box, 
and was delighted to see how they attended to her, as well as to the young 
brood. In the course of the day she died. Here they were at fault, having no 
undertaker amongst them. I removed the body, and introduced another queen, 
which they soon attacked, killed, and dissected. Notwithstanding their want of 
a leader, they regularly left and returned to the box, placed close to one of my 
windows, fed and brought to maturity all the young family, and then departed, 
leaving me the deserted nest. 
On referring to The Naturalist for May (Vol. IV., p. 433) I find Mr. Hylands 
has kindly answered my query respecting Papilio podalirius ; and in the June 
number (Vol. IV., p. 479) Mr. Buist has obliged me by transcribing a leaf or 
two of Curtis’s truly valuable work, for the general information of your readers. 
Will you allow me, through the medium of your Journal, to tender them both my 
sincere thanks for the same. It is to such gentlemen we junior entomologists 
gladly refer, and to such attentively listen. 
I sincerely hope the number of subscribers to your spiritedly-conducted 
