492 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



" The grubs, which I found in abundance and in all stages of 

 growth in October, have rather a singular shape— being almost 

 conical. The perfect insects are much plagued with a species 

 of Stylops, the females of which lie under the scales of the 

 abdomen. I found one piece of comb nearly one foot across 

 each way ; but generally the combs are only one-half or two- 

 thirds of this size." 



The great genus Polistes well deserves its name, which is 

 Greek, and signifies " the builder of a city." Species belonging 



Fig. 265.— Polistes Tasmaniensis. 

 (Rust-red.) 



to this genus are found in various parts of the world ; and in 

 the British Museum there are specimens from Australia, North 

 and South America, and Vancouver's Island. They are all dull 

 coloured, Polistes Tasmaniensis being one of the brightest. The 

 thorax is chestnut, the abdomen is rust-red, and the wings are 

 pale brown. One species, Polistes gallica, affords some exception 

 to the general rule, being banded with black and yellow, and 

 looking like a very little wasp. 



The nests of the Polistes are exceedingly variable in shape. 

 That of the present species is very much like the nest of the 

 common tree wasp of England without its cover, though the 

 material is stronger and of closer texture than that of the wasp. 

 The nests of other species are, however, arranged very differently, 



