198 



7 he Irish Naturalist. 



October, 



fourth, and fifth, but are very nearly equal in numbers. The 

 percentages are ; 



vulgaris. gernianica. rufa. sylvestris. norvegica. atstriaca. 



50-9 10 10-3 17-9 9'4 r 5 



It does not follow that these figures give an accurate idea of 

 the relative strength of each species in autumn, because some 

 probably have larger nests than others ; but they may be taken 

 as representative of the numbers of the queens in early summer, 

 as far as it is possible to take a satisfactory census in one 

 locality. 



The proportions have varied to an extraordinary degree in 

 different years. This may be seen from the following table, 

 showing for each species what percentage of the total number 

 killed belonged to it in each year : — 



Vespa vulgaris has held the first place every 3^ear, except 

 1897, when V. sylvestris outnumbered it. The second place is 

 usually held by V. sylvestris, but was taken by V. rufa in 1893 

 and 1899, and by V. gernianica in 1900 and 190 1. Vespa 

 norvegica, though the scarcest (except V. austriaca) of the six, 

 has never been so rare as V. sylvestris was in 1893, V. ger- 

 manica in 1893 and 1898, and V. rufa in 1894 and 1898. 



