104 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Vol. xxvn. 



the social wasps. They are paper wasps, making open combs, with 

 some of the species solitary, others social. 



The remaining subfamilies are the true social wasps, the largest 

 and far the most diversified generically being the Epiponinse, a trop- 

 ical group, best developed in South America. The Ropalidiinae are 

 confined to the tropics of the old world. The Polistinae, comprising 

 almost exclusively species of the genus Polistes, are cosmopolitan. 

 The Vespinae, belonging almost entirely to the genus Vespa, are ab- 

 sent from the neotropical, and except for an invading oriental species 

 and a dubious east coast form are also absent from the Ethiopian. 

 The last subfamily, most highly developed of all from an etiological 

 standpoint, is sharply differentiated from the rest morphologically by 

 the absence of an anal lobe in the hind wing, and by the incised anal 

 area thereof, making the wing almost stalked. 



Compared with other tropical regions, and especially the Neo- 

 tropical, Dr. Bequaert finds the Vespid fauna of the Ethiopian region 

 meager. Especially is this true of the social wasps. As the latter 

 are of the greatest interest to entomologists in general, it may be 

 worth while to summarise his account of those groups in Africa. 



Omitting the genus Vespa, which is hardly an intrinsic part, the 

 Ethiopian fauna contains only four genera of social Vespidse, belong- 

 ing to three subfamilies. 



Bclonogaster (Epiponinse), with its thirty-five African species, is 

 second largest of these genera, and is almost exclusively Ethiopian. 

 A nest of wasps of this genus, an open comb of a single layer, is 

 shown by well reproduced photographs. Mr. Lang's description of 

 the process of nest building is of interest : " The building of the cells 

 is done by means of the front legs and the mandibles. The vegetable 

 fibers are mixed with saliva and kneeded between the mandibles ; 

 from time to time the paste is rolled between the front legs. This 

 process goes on until the fiber paste is of a uniform, soft consistency; 

 then the wasp applies the paper to the cells and models it into the 

 right position and shape, going over it and over it again with the 

 mandibles. The adults touch the young with their legs, whereupon 

 the latter at once extend their heads to receive food; at the same time 

 they secrete from the mouth a fluid which is absorbed by the adult 

 wasps." This last observation is of interest in connection with the 



