i6 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



were taken out of an earthen dyke in great part 

 faced with stones. Through the lowering of the 

 temperature, few, if any, of the wasps were on the 

 wing. The three nests were all within a distance of 

 ■eighty paces, two of them being within only twenty 

 paces of each other. All were built well up in the 

 face of the dyke, and were near the surface ; indeed, 

 one of the nests had a goodly segment of it exposed 

 to view ; another was not more than an inch within 

 <the small hole of entrance ; whilst the third was 

 farther back, but was well revealed on removing two 

 ■of the stones at its entrance, behind which it was 

 situated. These nests were rounded in form, and of 

 the size and nearly of the shape of a large turnip ; 

 and were composed of grey and grey-green paper, 

 •the layers of the shell being large, thin and numerous. 

 The cells of the comb are made of similar paper to 

 ihat constituting the shell, or case ; and they appear 

 to be built up as the larvae grow — as needs required. 

 • On the larva becoming full-fed it apparently fully 

 lines its cell with white silk, as well as continuing 

 the edges upwards and completely covering the top 

 of the cell with a rounded cap of the same substance, 

 which is tough and strong and greatly increases the 

 •strength of the cells, these used cells being again 

 utilised after the emergence- of the imagoes. There 

 are both large and small cells filled with pupae, or 

 nymphs. New and imperfect cells containing larvae 

 . are on the margin of the circular platform of paper 

 cells constituting the comb ; and there are ova in 

 many of the formerly used cells, fastened by one end 

 .to the side of the cell towards its bottom. The ovum 

 is oblong, curving, white in colour, and of fair size. 

 There are larvae of all sizes, and pupa? or nymphs in 

 all stages of development to close on hatching : 

 .indeed, there were many newly-hatched wasps in the 

 nests when taken. All the three sexes were repre- 

 sented, there being the workers, the large females or 

 queens, and the males or drones with their longer 

 antennas and slimmer bodies, all three kinds being of 

 large size and bright colours. 



August 3rd. — This afternoon I took a small nest of 

 the Vespa rufa out of the same dyke as that out of 

 which were last night taken the three nests of the 

 V. sylvestris, but on its opposite side, where are also 

 two nests of the V. vulgaris. In form it resembles a 

 small turnip on a depressed sphere ; and it has the 

 oundish hole of entrance and exit in the centre 

 beneath, and a single circular platform of comb, about 

 two inches in diameter, which is suspended by a 

 broad paper pillar from the top of the shell of the 

 nest. A second pillar, to support a second and lower 

 platform has been formed, being attached to the side 

 of one of the central, used, silk-lined and con- 

 sequently strong ceils ; and it has a very rudimentary 

 cell at its extremity, which already contains one of 

 the oblong, milk-white and somewhat curving ova. 

 The outer cells of the platform of comb are very rudi- 

 jnentary, but each contains an ovum ; the inner ones 



contain larva? of various sizes ; whilst, further in, 

 towards the centre, are pupa; or nymphs, and vacated 

 cells which again contain ova, mostly two and three in 

 number, but in some instances even four : some of 

 the cells nearer the circumference, which have not 

 before been used, also contain two ova. The larvae 

 of this species of wasp are not white, but are yellowish, 

 or buff-coloured. This nest was not far back into the 

 dyke ; and the mould was easily dug into, so easily 

 indeed that the nest was got out with a walking-stick. 

 Nearly all the wasps found at it were taken ; fifteen 

 in all, seven of which were males, and eight workers. 

 In the evening, however, a few more wasps were 

 taken from the cavity out of which the nest had been 

 dug. These wasps were not at all vicious ; the larger 

 ones ( V. sylvestris) disturbed last night were very 

 vicious. On the following day I took a few more 

 wasps from the nest-cavity, and left yet a few lingering 

 about the place. No queen, however, was observed, 

 only males and workers ; had there been one, she 

 would have, in all probability, been in the nest when 

 it was taken. In all there have been not more than 

 thirty wasps belonging to this small nest. Is it not 

 somewhat singular that there should be males at so 

 early a stage of the nest ? 



In the evening a very large and strong nest of the 

 Vespa Germanica was taken out of a stone- faced 

 earthen dyke. On removing two of the stones the 

 nest was fully revealed lying in a cavity behind, its 

 entire depth being distinguishable. The case of this 

 nest is of a shelled character, the several layers of 

 grey and grey-green paper constituting it being laid 

 on in large shell-like pieces varying in dimensions ; 

 and, though consisting of fine vegetable fibres, it is 

 thicker in texture than is the paper of the V. sylvestris 

 and V. rufa. There are six tiers, or platforms, of 

 comb ; and the nest is the largest I have yet seen. 

 The ova in the comb are at the bottom of the shallow 

 rudimentary cells at and near the margin of the tier, 

 and down towards the bottom, or only midway in the 

 deeper cells towards and at the centre ; and are 

 oblong, a little curving, and milk-white in colour. 

 They are fastened by one end to the side of the cell 

 in an angle and project outwards into an acute angle. 

 There is here mostly only one ovum in each cell, 

 though, in some instances, two and even three ova 

 have been deposited in the deeper cells. There 

 are, as well as ova, larvae of all sizes, and pupae 

 or nymphs in all stages of development up to 

 perfection, young wasps emerging from the cells. 

 The very young larvae are attached to the side of the 

 cell in the same manner and position as are the ova, 

 appearing indeed almost to be simply an outgrowth 

 from the ovum in the anterior or cephalic region, — 

 just as though a head had formed there. As the cells 

 are vertical and mouth downwards, some secure attach- 

 ment will be absolutely necessary for the suspension 

 and safety of the head-down larvae. No males were 

 found at this nest, nor the queen (which, probably, 



