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orifice of the cavity with clay. The Iarv, which resembles the maggot of a bee, having devoured the spider, encloses itself in a dusky silken web, and becomes a chrysalis, from which, iii a certain number of days, proceed a complete insect. The parent Sphex has not completed her work, till she has prepared several separate holes, in each of which she places a dead insect and an egg, each cell costing her the labour of nearly two days

Many species are common in England. They bear great affinity to the race of wasps and bees, arid are chiefly found in woods and. hedges.

r1 he genus G1zrysis or Golden-fly, is remark able for its brilliancy of colour. That species most common in our own country, is the Ghrysi ignitis. It dwells in holes of walls, harbouring between the stones and the mortar that cements

them, where it lays its eggs. The Iarv rc

semble those of the wasp. It is about the size of the common window-fly, arid is of a rich,., deep, gilded azure, on the head and thorax, with the abdomen of the most splendid reddish gold colour.

I shall now introduce to you a more minute

acquaintance, the genus Vespa, or wasps, whose

external appearance is too familiar to need any description. rrie mode of life of these: insects

greatly.