WASP, OR VESPA VULGARIS. 2-'J7 
Lucy, What robbers and murderers 
they are ! 
Mother, Yes, they plunder the poor 
butchers ; but, however, they are of great 
use to them. 
Lucy. Of use ! how can that be ? 
Mother. The wasp is a mortal enemy 
to the blue fly, which never ventures into 
a butcher's stall, when frequented by 
wasps. In France it is a common cus- 
tom among butchers to hang at the door 
of the shop a veal's liver, which being 
much sought after by the wasps, attracts 
them in such numbers as to deter the 
blue flies from approaching. 
Lucy. Well, that is a comical plan, 
to drive away one set of tormentors by 
encouraging another. 
Though wasps are so ferocious abroad 
mamma, they seem to live very happily at 
home. 
Mother. They continue to live in har- 
mony till the end of September, when the 
cold begins to affect them, and most kinds 
of provisions grow scarce. The nest then 
