NESTS OF THE POLISTES. 



493 



as may be seen by the accompanying illustration, which is taken 

 from my " Homes without Hands." On the right hand is the 

 pendent nest of Polistcs aterrivia, the latter name being given to 

 the insect on account of its black colour. On the left is a 

 triple nest group, made by a Polistes whose species is not yet 

 identified. It is suspended by a single footstalk like that of 

 the Icaria, but the cells, instead of being arranged side by side, 

 are placed in a tolerably straight line and set alternately, the 

 mouth of each being rather lower than that of its predecessor. 

 In order to suit the exigencies of space, the figure is very much 



(■Jj TuHstes ate 



.(Black.) 



reduced, the cells being nearly as large as those of Polistcs 

 aterrima. Strength combined with lightness is obtained by the 

 way in which the upper part of the nest is formed into folds 

 very much like corrugated iron. 



Sometimes a totally different structure is employed, the insect 

 seeking for shelter. In the British Museum there is a piece of 

 wood, apparently a part of a tamarind tree, in which a large 

 tunnel has been driven by one of the great wood-boring bees 

 called Xylocopa. A species of Polistes, however, has taken 

 possession of the tunnel, and has made its nest therein. 



Although the Polistes is essentially an exotic genus, specimens 

 have been taken in England, and in every case they were close 



