488 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



^ 



the whole of the body is covered with a short ashen pile, which 

 makes it look in some lights as if it were grey instead of brown. 



There is a slight reddish 



tinge upon the head. 



In the British Museum 



there are eight species, 



all of which are African 



with the exception of 



one which comes from 



India, and is accordingly 



called Belonogaster In- 



dicus. They are all 



dull coloured, the wings 



and body being equally 



brown. 



The name Belonogaster 



is constructed from two Greek words signifying " a pointed belly," 



and is given to the insects because the abdomen terminates in 



a sharp point. 



Fio. 262.— Belonogaster juncei 

 (Brown, with ashen pile.) 



In general form the Miscliocyttarus lahiatus bears a close 

 resemblance to the preceding in- 

 sect, and is coloured in almost 

 exactly the same manner, being 

 brown covered with grey down. 

 It is a Brazilian insect. 



The reader will see that the 

 structure of the nest is very 

 different from that of any nest 

 or cell which we have hitherto 

 seen. It is constructed of vege- 

 table fibre torn off and masti- 

 cated by the wasp, so as to form 

 a sort of coarse paper. In fact, 

 the wasps are the earliest paper- 

 makers in the world, and utilize 

 for that purpose a great variety 

 of material, so long as it be a 

 vegetable fibre. 



This nest consists of three distinct portions. First there is 



Pio. 263.— Mischocyttarus labiatus 

 (Brown, with grey pile.) 



