ORDER V. HYMENOPTERA. 69 



and have only one row of hexagonal cells, flat at bottom, the month 

 turned downwards, which serve only for holding the young. Every hive 

 is begun by a mother, who at first deposits a few eggs, from which neu- 

 ters are produced, or working wasps, who assist her in increasing her 

 work and in feeding the young afterwards produced. Neither males 

 nor females are produced till tbwards the month of September. Be- 

 fore that time there are none in the nest but the female and the neuters 

 she has engendered.. The females remain in the nest. The males do 

 no work. Wasps feed their larvre with "insects, meat, and the frag- 

 ments of fruits. Towards autumn they are siid to kill such of the la^v^e 

 and pupffi as cannot come to perfection before the month ot November. 

 The males and neuters perish themselves during winter, and none re- 

 main but a few impregnated females to perpetuate the species. 

 Sp. 1. V. Crabro, the Hornet Wasp. (PL 8. fg. 8.) 

 Inhabits Europe, generally forming its nest in the trunks of trees. 



Some little caution is necessary 'in taking the insects of this species, as 

 without care the entomologist is subject to be stung by them. 1 have 

 found that the bag net(P/. H-./'j?- 4.) is the best means of taking them. 

 The insects when secin-ed in the net^«hc^uld be gently trodden upon, 

 not sufficiently to injure, but merely Wnumb them ; a pin should then 

 be passed through the thorax, and the insect placed in the pocket box. 



' i 



Genus 67. Apis, Bee. 



Mouth horny : nmx'dla and lahiinn mertibrrtnaceous at the apex : tongiie 

 inflected : ^w//ji four, unequal" and filiform : untcniuc filiform ; zcingsnot 

 folded : aculeiis in the females and neuters concealed in the abdomen. 

 S>^. \. Af retusa^ Linn, (female) ^oc/mii^fs, (nale) {PL Q. fig. 9. male.) 

 Mr. Kirby has described upwards of 200 indigenous species of this i 

 genus in his admirable ^\lkork entitled Jtlonographia Ajmiii Aiigrue,^ vols, j 

 &\o. This work is indispensable in the library of every entomologist.' 



I 

 Genu^ 68. FormicA, Ant^ 



Prt//>/ four, unequal, with cylindrical -articulations, seated on a sub- 

 membranaceoas cylindrical lip: antenna: filnbrm; between the thorax 

 and the abdomen a small erect scale : the sting concealed in the ab- 

 domen, and posscssec^only by the ferrules and neuters. The males 

 and females only have wings. » * » , . 



All the species of this i^nus ar^oi three sorts, males, female*, and 

 neuters. The neuters alone labour; thf^ form the ant-hill, bring in 

 the provisions, feed the yoniig, bring them to the air during the day, 

 carry them back at night, defend them against attacks, &c. The fe- 

 males are said to be retained-, rntrely for laying eggs, and as soon as 

 that is accomplished they are*Vi^ercifully discarded. The males and 

 females perish with the first cola ; the neuters lie torpid in their nest. 

 .Sp. 1, F. hcrculanca. (PL 8. j^g. 10.) 





