1903. Notes, 167 



ZOOLOGY. 



Hybernation of Queen Wasps. 



I have never seen nientiou made in any book on the subject of the 

 position assumed, in certainly the majority of cases, by Queen Wasps 

 while hybernatiug. During this period, from the end of November to 

 end of April, the queen wasp, as is well known, passes the time hidden 

 away in holes and crannies. 



I have come across a good man}' during the past winter, and found 

 most of them were suspended entirely by their mandibles, the antennae 

 being folded down and covered by the first pair of legs, and the wings, 

 in place of being folded above the abdomen, were folded along under- 

 neath it, and were covered by the second and third pair of legs. In 

 the few cases in which they were not hanging in this way by the 

 mandibles, some, I think, had been disturbed before I found them, but 

 I do not feel sure that it is an invariable custom. 



Mons. Ch Janet, in a recently-published paper on wasps, mentions 

 the position of the wings while hybernatiug, but does not refer to the 

 other facts, which seem sufficiently curious to be worth recording. 



Dbnis R, PACK-BKRESFORD. 

 Fenagh House, Bagnalstown. 



Two Beetles from Roundsfone, new to the Irish List. 



Amongst the insects I collected last September at Roundstone, there 

 are two not previously noticed from Ireland. Longitarsus flavicornis, 

 Steph., was taken by sweeping near the small lake between Round- 

 stone and Dog's Bay. Myllcena Kraatzi, Sharp, (one specimen) was found 

 half-way up Errisbeg. Both species were identified by Mr. Champion. 



George W. Chaster. 

 Southport. 



The Irish Black Rat in England. 



I send for record the names of two English localities for the black 

 form of AIus decumanus, which William Thompson named Mus hibernicus. 

 The first is Buckhurst Hill, Epping Forest, where, as Mr. William Cole, 

 the curator of the Essex Museum, informs me, specimens are " very 

 rarely" obtained. The second is Exebridge, Tiverton, Devon, whence I 

 have examined specimens caught by Mr. T. F. Tracy at the premises of 

 the Exe Valley Fishery. A good many black individuals have been 

 noticed amongst the ordinary rats at this locality during the past three 

 years. Some of them possessed the white breast spot of Thompson's 

 type. 



G. E. H. Barrett-Hamii^ton. 

 Kilmanock, Arthurstown, Waterford. 



