OF WASHINGTON. 83 



nests protected beneath stones or stumps, where burning would 

 be out of the question. 



In the course of my examinations of the nests I was stung 

 in the hand by germanica several times the resulting pain 

 being very slight and of short duration. I was unfortunate 

 enough also to be stung in the ear by cuneata, and the result 

 ing pain was not only extremely severe but lasted for twelve 

 to fourteen hours in spite of all attempts to allay it. The 

 severity of the sting in the latter instance was in part, and 

 perhaps altogether, due to the greater sensitiveness of the 

 locality stung, but I cannot but believe that the sting of 

 cuneata, which is the larger insect, is under the same circum 

 stance more severe than that of germanica. 



Mr. Howard stated that the locality of the sting had much 

 to do with its severity, and he doubted if much difference 

 would be found in the pain resulting from the sting of either 

 species, if in the same place, on the subject. 



Mr. Schwarz said that in Europe foxes were known to feed 

 on the ground-nests of Vespas, readily eating the comb for the 

 contained larvae and pupae. 



Mr. Howard called attention to some interesting observa 

 tions on the power of sight in Vespa by Mr. Scudder, which 

 seem to indicate that these wasps see but poorly. This defec 

 tive sight was shown in that they were frequently observed to 

 .attack the shadow of flies rather than the flies themselves. 



Referring to the absence of parasitic or inquilinous insects 

 in the nests examined by Mr. Marlatt, Mr. Schwarz said that 

 this was remarkable in view of the number of insects associ 

 ated with Vespa in Europe. He mentioned particularly an 

 interesting parasitic Coleopter {Metoecus paradoxus) quite com 

 mon in the nests of Vespa in Europe, and wondered that no 

 similar parasite had been discovered in this country. 



Dr. Fox asked if the sting of Vespa was barbed as with the 

 honey bee, and Mr. Marlatt replied that the sting was but 

 slightly barbed, and ordinarily remained with the insect in 

 stead of tearing out and holding in the flesh. 



Mr. Dodge related his experience with a species of yellow- 

 jacket in Colorado, and called attention to the rapidity of the 



