230 The hish Naturalist September, 



The nest itself was, in general appearance, very like the 

 smaller rufa nests found last year, the paper covering being 

 of the same type as in norvegica and sylvestris nests, but very 

 delicate and thin. The comb consisted of two layers only, of 

 which the upper measured about 3 inches in diameter, and the 

 lower about 2\ inches. In the centre of the upper layer were 

 16 or 18 empty cells. Round this came an area, containing 

 between 60 and 70 cells, mostly capped, and outside this again 

 came a belt of cells, for the most part empty, but a few that 

 were capped eventually produced aiistriaca drones. The lower 

 layer of comb was composed entirely of large cells, with the 

 exception of a belt round the outside of about 4 cells deep, 

 which contained larvae, and in which the cells were unfinished. 

 Inside this belt of grubs came a ring of 25 capped cells, most 

 of which contained queens, while in the centre of the comb 

 were 18 empty cells, several of which seemed to have had 

 wasps in them. 



Thus far the nest corresponded very closely indeed with that 

 described by Robson, and it seemed that we had confirmed 

 the view that V. austriaca is inquiline on V. rufa. We deter- 

 mined, however, to keep the nest under observation, so that 

 as many as possible of the capped cells might hatch out. The 

 five live workers were therefore restored to their comrades, 

 their wings having been first clipped, so that the nest could be 

 examined at any time without risk. 



Having supplied them with some honey, we soon had the 

 satisfaction of seeing the workers busily engaged in feeding 

 the larvae and the young queens and drones. The young 

 queens, too, seemed to take their share of work in feeding the 

 larvae, first getting their supply of food from the workers. A 

 young queen was never seen going herself to the honey. 



During the next week or so queens and drones of the 

 austriaca type occasionally emerged from the capped cells, 

 but on August i6th a drone emerged from one of the large 

 cells in the lower layer of comb, undoubtedly referable to 

 rufa, but with the face pure yellow, except for a small central 

 black dash, and with yellow spots on the scape of the antennae. 

 In the course of the next day or two another rufa male, very 

 similar, but with three small black dashes on the face 



