70 



IXSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



There is another species of social-wasp {Epipone nidulans, 

 Latr.) meriting attention from the singular construction 

 of its nest. It forms one or more terraces of cells, similar 

 to those of the common wasp, but without the protection 

 of an outer wall, and quite exposed to the weather. Swam- 



W'asp's Xest. 



merdam found a nest of this description attached to the 

 stem of a nettle. Reaumur says they are sometimes attached 

 to the branch of a thorn or other shrub, or to stalks of 

 grass ;— peculiarities which prove that there are several 

 species of these wasps. 



neat of a Polistcs, a social-wasp not yet found in this coimtry, but if not 

 of Polistes, certainly not yet determined or known." The nest was 

 ovate, about an inch and a half long, with a tier of cells internally, 

 originating from a common pedicle. It aj^peared to be constnicted " of 

 the agglutinated particles of a soft white wood, probably willow, very 

 imperfectly tritrmited ;" whence it had externally a rough granulated 

 appearance. It Avas sprinkled with black specks, arising perhaps from 

 the intermixtiu-e of more decayed portions of the wood ; and was of a 

 very fragile textiu-e. " The natiu-e of the material, and its unfinished 

 execution, as well as tlie situation in which it was found, appear to me 

 to be its own peculiarities, and I nuist necessarily consider it merely an 

 accidental variation in material and locality from the usual nests of the 



Vespa Britannica of Leach." — ]Mr. Shuckard concludes his paper by 

 stating that he strongly suspects the identity of Vespa Holsatica and 



Vespa Britannica. 



