322 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Apr., 



of thyme 2-4 seconds, average 2.88 seconds; oil of wintergreen 2-5 

 seconds, average 3.12 seconds; honey and comb 3-10 seconds, average 

 4.56 seconds; leaves and stems of pennyroyal 2-6 seconds, average 

 3.64 seconds; formic acid 3-7 seconds, average 4.00 seconds. These 

 give a general average of 3.49 seconds, which is one and a fourth times 

 the reaction time of unmutilated males. These mutilated males 

 lived from 1 to 24 days, with 7 days and 2 hours as an average. 



The detached wings of these males were examined microscopically. 

 Of the front wings pulled off 45 bore pores and 5 were devoid of 

 pores. Of the hind wings pulled off 4 had pores and 9 were devoid 

 of pores. As stated, the average number of pores for the front 

 wings of the males of this species is 595 and for the hind wings the 

 average number of pores is 173. It is, therefore, evident that 88 

 per cent, of the pores belonging to the wings were prevented from 

 functioning. May not this fact be used to explain the slow reaction 

 time of these wingless males? 



8. Wings of Vespula maculata pulled off. 



The wings of 21 workers of Vespula maculata were pulled off. 

 Only occasionally did a small drop of blood exude from the wounds. 

 When placed into the experimental cases, they were as restless as 

 were their sister winged hornets and they appeared normal in all 

 respects except that they responded more slowly to odors than did 

 the ones with wings. They lived in these cases from 2 days to 

 6 days and 12 hours, with 4 days, and 8 hours as an average. The 

 reaction times are: oil of peppermint 3-20 seconds, average 6.57 

 seconds; oil of thyme 3-15 seconds, average 6.19 seconds; oil of^ 

 wintergreen 3-15 seconds, average 6.29 seconds. These give a general 

 average of 6.35 seconds, which is almost three times the same average 

 for sister hornets with the wings intact. 



The detached wings of these mutilated hornets were examined 

 microscopically. Of the front wings pulled off 29 bore pores and 

 13 were devoid of pores. Of the hind wings pulled off 41 bore pores 

 and 1 was devoid of pores. As stated, the average number of 

 pores for the front wings of these hornets is 1,036 and the average 

 number of pores for the hind wings is 448. It is, therefore, evident 

 that 78 per cent, of the pores belonging to the wings were pre- 

 vented from functioning. May not this fact again be used to 

 explain the slow reaction time of these wingless hornets? 



