tmd on the S/h (it s hif irhidi tltrt/ 11 ttrUCted. 



had the cxuvia' of the caterpillar compressed at the bottom, but no ibrood of 

 the pupae. The inequality in the lis* of the celli may be attributed to toe 

 smaller ones having been the residence of the males. After this examination 

 I divided the same portion of the nesl transversely at the line fraud /. fnx- ."». to 

 exhibit the length of the cells, their longitudinal form and their position (f ".: 



By this section it is also ascertained in what May the saw (lies escape from their 

 cells when they are hatched; tor at the end <«t each cell, sometimes at one 

 side, and as often on the other, is a circular lid (fig, si), formed of the same 

 leathery material as the entire comb, the outside being crossed with the hair*. 



the inside smoothisb, with the edge whitish and powdery, from the liquid pro- 

 bably secreted by the animal to soften the material during the operation of 

 cutting - , which it performs with its two sharp mandibles (fig. b). Through this 



aperture (fig. n) the saw-flies make their way into the woolly wall which sur- 

 rounds them, forcing themselves to the side next the bark, and then crawling 

 out into the open air. In two of the cells I found dead caterpillars (fig. 7). 

 which considerably resemble those of the <renus Hylotoma \ they are ochn OUSj 

 the head is large and horny, with a black eye-like dot on each side-, the 

 body is covered with irregular transverse rows of black warts, the hinder 

 segments have short black spiny appendages on their sides, and the tail 

 is surrounded by ten shining black obtuse conical spines: they hav, 

 pectoral, eight abdominal and two anal ivvX: at least I could discover no 

 more in the dried specimens; but it is possible that others might be con- 

 tracted and concealed, or the lateral appendages may be employed instead 

 of them*. 



The more we reflect upon this singular nest, the more dissimilar will it 

 appear to be from anything of the kind hitherto discovered, whether we con- 

 sider its structure, or the period of the animal's existence when it is con- 

 structed; for the compound nidus is generally the work of the parents, t,, 

 protect their eggs and feed their larvae, at once affording them an asylum 

 during three stages of their existence. Thus the bee forms its comb and the 

 wasp its nest; the social ants also labour to form a dwelling; but in this 

 Tenthredinous nest we find the larvae uniting and forming cells in which to 



* In Hylotoma the number of feet in the larvae is 20 ; those of Schisocerm are unknown, 



2 l2 



