and on the Species hy which they were constructed. 257 



forming four fasciae on the belly : wings yellowish at the base, deepest on the costa ; 

 stigma bright ochreous ; nervures pale brown : knees, anterior tibiae, tips of the others 

 and all the tarsi ochreous. Length 5^ lines; expanse 11. 



The nest of this wasp (fig. 8) appears to have been suspended from a tree 

 by a twig not much more than ^th of an inch in diameter (o) ; it is 8 inches 

 long and 15 in circumference at the broadest part (fig. 9), and weighs 19 

 ounces. It is pear-shaped, being ovate at the top and truncated, but convex 

 at the bottom, and on the outer margin is a hemispheric tubercle pierced 

 with a circular hole a little more than half an inch in diameter, the margin 

 being thickened and rounded; the entire surface is rough and coated with 

 fine reddish earth and sand, and there are various dark spots, possibly from 

 some liquor exuding from the cells, or it may have been occasioned by berries 

 falling upon it or other casualties. This nest is composed of such substantial 

 materials that no wet could penetrate it, neither would it break if it were to 

 fall from the branch ; and the position of the entrance and its form are ad- 

 mirably adapted to protect the inmates, to keep off the wet and sun, as well 

 as for the egress and ingress of the community. By the external undulations 

 I can trace four layers of comb; and on shaking the nest numbers of the 

 neuters, perfect and imperfect, have fallen out ; but I cannot detect either 

 males or females. I doubt not, from its external form and appearance, that 

 its internal structure is very like that of P. «/rfw/aw* figured by Reaumur. As 

 the nest is a unique example, I have not ventured to divide it lest it should fall 

 to pieces and be destroyed. 



I will now proceed to characterize a nearly allied species, of which there 

 were a multitude of neuters contained in the same collection. It is related to 

 M. brunnea, and very probably builds a similar nest, but I can nowhere find it 

 described. 



5. Myraptera elegans. Curt. 



Sericeo-nigra, capite thorace abdomineque lineis cingulisque fulvis, tibiis tar- 

 sisque ochraceis. 



Description, — Silky black ; mandibles quadridentate : antennae ferruginous beneath towards 

 the apex ; edge of clypeus and inner margin of eyes, also the outer margin extending 

 round the base of the head, yellow ; edge of collar and of thorax, two parallel lines down 

 the back, a line across the scutel, four long spots on the metathorax, and an oblique spot 

 under each wing, bright yellow : petiole elongated, turbinate, slender at the base, with 



