[l] The Nest of the Guira tangeima, the icterus minor, and the Jupujuba, or whatever other Name the American Hang-Nests may be called by, are of this Kind. Of which see Willughby’s Ornith. Lib. 2. Chap. 5. Sect. 12, 13. Also Dr. Grew’s Museum Reg. Soc. Part 1. Sect. 4. Chap. 4. These Nests I have divers Times seen, particularly in great Perfection in our R. S. Repository, and in the noble and well-furnished Museum of my often-commended Friend Sir Hans Sloane; and at the same Time I could not but admire at the neat Mechanism of them, and the Sagacity of the Bird, in hanging them on the Twigs of Trees, to secure their Eggs and Young from the Apes.
[m] I mention Trees, because I have seen Bees gather the Gum of Fir-Trees, which at the same Time gave me the Pleasure of seeing their way of loading their Thighs therewith; performed with great Art and Dexterity.
[n] Wasps, at their first Coming, may be observ’d to frequent Posts, Boards, and other Wood that is dry and sound; but never any that is rotten. There they may be heard to scrape and gnaw; and what they so gnaw off, they heap close together between their Chin and Fore-Legs, until they have gotten enough for a Burden, which they then carry away in their Mouths, to make their Cells with.
[o] Circular Cells would have been the most capacious; but this would by no Means have been a convenient Figure, by Reason much of the Room would have been taken up by Vacancies between the Circles; therefore it was necessary to make Use of some of the rectilinear Figures. Among which only three could be of Use; of which Pappus Alexandrin. thus discourseth; Cùm igitur tres figuræ sunt, quæ per seipsas locum circa idem punctum consistentem replere possunt, Triangulum seil. Quadratum & Hexagonum, Apes illam quæ ex pluribus angulis constat sapienter delegerunt, utpote suspicantes eam plus mellis capere quàm utramvis reliquarum. At Apes quidem illud tantùm quod ipsis utile est cognoscunt, viz. Hexagonum Quadrato & Triangulo esse majus & plus Mellis capere posse, nimirum æquali materiâ in constructionem uniuscujusque consumptâ. Nos verò qui plus sapientiæ quàm Apes habere profitemur, aliquid etiam magìs insigne investigabimus. Collect. Math. l. 5.
[p] See before [Note (c).]
[] Among many Examples, the Legs and Feet of the Mole-Cricket, (Gryllotalpa,) are very remarkable. The Fore-Legs are very brawny and strong; and the Feet armed each with four flat strong Claws, together with a small Lamina, with two larger Claws, and a third with two little Claws: Which Lamina is joynted to the Bottom of the Foot, to be extended, to make the Foot wider, or withdrawn within the Foot. These Feet are placed to scratch somewhat sideways as well as downward, after the Manner of Moles Feet; and they are very like them also in Figure.
Somewhat of this Nature, Swammerdam observes of the Worms of the Ephemeron. To this Purpose, [to dig their Cells,] the wise Creator hath furnish’d them, (saith he,) with fit Members. For, besides that their two Fore-Legs are formed somewhat like those of the ordinary Moles, or Gryllotalpa; he hath also furnish’d them with two toothy Cheeks, somewhat like the Sheers of Lobsters, which serve them more readily to bore the Clay. Swammerdam’s Ephem. Vit. Publish’d by Dr. Tyson, Chap. 3.
[t] See the before-cited [Note (c).]