[c] Many of the Vespæ-Ichneumones are remarkable enough for their Nidification and Provision for their Young. Those that build in Earth (who commonly have golden and black Rings round their Alvi) having lined the little Cells, they have perforated, lay therein their Eggs, and then carry into them Maggots from the Leaves of Trees, and seal them up close and neatly. And another Ichneumon, more of the Vespa than Musca-Ichneumon Kind (having a little Sting in its Tail, of a black Colour) gave me the Pleasure, one Summer, of seeing it build its Nest in a little Hole in my Study-Window. This Cell was coated about with an odoriferous, resinous Gum, collected, I suppose, from some Fir-Trees near; after which it laid two Eggs (I think the Number was) and then carried in divers Maggots, some bigger than it self. These it very sagaciously sealed close up into the Nest, leaving them there doubtless, partly to assist the Incubation; and especially for Food to the future Young when hatched.
Of this Artifice of these Ichneumons, Aristotle himself takes Notice, (but I believe he was scarce aware of the Eggs sealed up with the Spiders). Ὁι δὲ Σφῆκες Ιχνεύμονες καλούμενοι, &c. As to the Vespæ, called Ichneumones, (less than others) they kill Spiders, and carry them into their Holes, and having sealed them up with Dirt, they therein hatch, and produce those of the same Kind. Hist. Anim. l. 5. c. 20.
To what hath been said about these Ichneumon Wasps, I shall add one Observation more, concerning the providential Structure of their Mouth in every of their Tribes, viz. their Jaws are not only very strong, but nicely sized, curved and placed for gnawing and scraping those compleat little Holes they perforate in Earth, Wood, yea in Stone it self.
[d] Tully having spoken of the Care of some Animals towards their Young, by which they are nursed and brought up, saith, Accedit etiam ad nonnulloram animantium, & earum rerum quas terra gignit, conservationem, & salutem, hominum etiam solertia & diligentia. Nam multæ & pecudes, & stirpes sunt, quæ fine procuratione hominum salvæ esse non possunt. Cic. de Nat. Deor. l. 2. c. 52.
[e] Prov. xxx. 26. The Conies are but a feeble Folk, yet make they their Houses in the Rocks.
[f] See [Note (l).]
[g] It is a notable Instinct which Ol. Magnus tells of the Galli Sylvestres in his Northern Country, to secure themselves against the Cold and Storms of the Winter. Cùm nives instar collium terræ superficiem ubique cooperiunt, ramosque arborum diutiùs deprimunt & condensant, certos fructus Betulæ arboris——in formâ longi Piperis vorant, & glutiunt indigestos; idque tantâ aviditate, ac quantitate, ut repletum guttur toto corpore majus appareat. Deinde partitis agminibus sese inter medios nivium colles immergunt, præfortim in Jan. Febr. Martio, quando nives ut turbines, typhones, vel tempestates gravissimæ è nubibus descendunt. Cumque coopertæ sunt, certis hebdomadis cibo in gutture collecto, egesto, & resumpto vivunt. Venatorum canibus non produntur.——Quod si præsentiunt nivem imminere majorem, prædicto fructu, iterum devorato, aliud domicilium captant, in eoque manent usque ad sinem Martii, &c. Ol. Mag. Hist. l. 19. c. 33.
[h] It is a very odd Story (which I rather mention for the Reader’s Diversion, than for its Truth) which Dr. Lud. de Beaufort relates, Vir fide dignus narravit mihi, quod cùm semel, animi gratiâ, nidum aviculæ ligno obturâsset, seque occultâsset, cupidus videndi, quid in tali occasione præstaret; illa cùm frustra sæpiùs tentâsset rostro illud auferre, casus admodum impatiens, abiit, & post aliquod temporis spatium reversa est, rostro gerens plantulam, quâ obturamento applicatâ, paulò post, illud veluti telum eripuit tantâ vi, ut dispersa impetu herbula, ac occasionem ipsi, ab aviculâ ejus virtutem discendi, præripuerit. Cosmop. divina, Sect. 5. C. 1. Had he told us what the Plant was, we might have given better Credit to this Story.
[] Of the Subtilty of Birds in Nidification, see Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 33.
[k] Among many Instances that might be given of this Subtilty of birds, and other Creatures, that of the long-tailed Titmouse deserves Observation, who with great Art builds her Nest with Mosses, Hair, and the Webs of Spiders, cast out from them when they take their Flight (see [Book VIII. Chap. 4. Note (e)]) with which the other Materials are strongly tied together. Having neatly built, and covered her Nest with these Materials without; she thatcheth it on the top with the Muscus arboreus ramosus, or such like broad, whitish Moss, to keep out Rain, and to dodge the Spectator’s Eye; and within she lineth it with a great Number of soft Feathers; so many, that I confess I could not but admire how so small a Room could hold them, especially that they could be laid so close and handsomely together, to afford sufficient Room for a Bird with so long a Tail, and so numerous an Issue as this Bird commonly hath, which Mr. Ray saith (Synops. Method. Avium, p. 74.) Ova inter omnes aviculas numerosissima ponit. See more of the Nest of this Bird, from Aldrovand. in Willugh. Ornith. p. 243.