164 The Irish Naturalist. [July, 



My specimen was taken in company with male Vcspa norvegica and V. 

 sylvcstris. Vcspa norvegica, V. sylvcstris, and V. ; ufa are all plentiful in this 

 district this year. V. vulgaris not so common, and I have not yet met 

 with a single example of V. gcrmanica. 



Claude W. Buckie- 

 Londonderry. 



The Habits of Vespa austrlaca. 



Mr. Buckle's note on the occurrence of this interesting wasp in the 

 North of Ireland suggests that the attention of our readers should be 

 called to Mr. Chas. Robson's recent observations on the habits of this 

 species {Science Gossip, vol. v., 1898, pp. 69-73). He was able to examine 

 a nest of Vespa rufa, which contained both males and females of V. 

 auslriaca just ready to emerge from their cells, and showing the 

 characteristic marking of the species. The generally-believed idea that 

 V. auslriaca is a " cuckoo parasite " or inquiline (see Mr. Cuthbert's 

 paper, Irish Naturalist, vol. vi., 1897, pp. 2S5-7) has now received full 

 confirmation. 



MOLLUSC A. 



Marine Shells from the Kenmare River. 



During a visit to Kenmare last Easter, Mrs. Tatlow and Miss Massy 

 did a little hurried shell-collecting at Parknasilla, and on the strand at 

 the mouth of the Blackwater. The time was very limited, otherwise a 

 fair list might have been worked up. As it is, the list may be worth 

 publishing, as Mr. A. R. Nichols informs me there are few records from 

 the long sea-inlet called Kenmare River. Thanks are due to Dr. G. W. 

 Chaster for some of the determinations. The following is a list of the 

 species collected. Those marked * were found at both Parknasilla and 

 Blackwater ; those marked f at Blackwater only ; the remainder at Park- 

 nasilla only: — * Anomia cphippium and var. aculcata, A. palelliformis, Ostrea 

 edit I is, Pec ten Pusio, P. varius, P. maxim us, * My til 'us edulis, Modiolaria 

 marmorata, Montacuta bidentata, Lascva rubra, Cardium exiguum, *C. edule, 

 *C. norvc^ic urn,* Venus exoleta, V. fasciata, V. verrucosa, V. ovata, V. gallina, 

 Tapes aureus, * T. pullastra, * T. decussatus, Tellina crassa, * Gastrana fragilis, 

 Psammobia vespertina, *Maclra solida, *Lutraria elliptica, *Scrobicularia piperata, 

 *Solcn ensis, *Mya arcnaria, Saxicava rugosa, \Pkolas Candida, * Patella vulgata, 

 Tectura virginea, Fissurella graca, Trochus helicinus,*T. magus, T. cinerareus, 

 T. umbilicatus, T. tumidus. T. zizyphinus, Lacuna divaricata, L. pallidula, 

 *Littorina litorea, L. rudis, *L. obtusata, Rissoa punctura, K. parva, R. albclla 

 var., R. membrauacea, R. violacea, R. striata and var. arctica, R. ciugillus, 

 Hydrobia ulvic and var. Barleei, S/ccnea planorbis, Odostomia filicata, 0. albclla, 

 0. pusilla, Ccrithium rcticulatum, Purpura lapillus, Buccinum undatum, *Murex 

 erinaccus, Nassa reticulata, N. incrassata, Pleurotoma coslata, Cypnva europaa, 

 Melampus bidentalus. 



R. Ll,OYD PRAEGER. 



