THE rOLTSTES GALLIC A. 237 



a homogeneous paste, which is converted into a strong grey- 

 paper. The Polistcs first uses a large quantity of this paper to 

 form a soHd foundation for the nest, and a strong peduncle, which 

 has to maintain the comb. The comb is very small, and there 

 are not often more than five, six, or eight cells in it. It is never 

 covered up with envelopes, and although it is increased in size 

 subsequently by the addition of new cells, it is never enclosed 

 and protected from the weather. Any one interested in the habits 

 of these industrious Hymenoptcra, and Avho will visit the neigh- 

 bourhood of their nests daily, can study all the phases of the 

 life of the larvae, for these pretty nests without envelopes, and 

 unsheltered, offer every opportunity for the investigation ; but 

 although apparently so liable to be injured by rain and wind, 

 they are so made that the larvae are perfectly safe inside. The 

 nests are always placed obliquely, so that the rain falls ofi" them 

 wdthout entering into the cells, or remaining upon them in the 

 least ; moreover, they are turned towards the east, and as the bad 

 weather, cold rain, and strong winds usually come from the opposite 

 direction during the summer and autumn months, the inhabitants 

 af them have not much chance of suffering from causes acting from 

 without. The little Polistes having taken care of its tiny comb, the 

 larvae are soon transformed into nymphs, and before this occurs they 

 close their cells with a little lid, by forming a silken cocoon. Some 

 observers state that as soon as the adults fly it becomes evident that 

 they are all workers, and that they begin to extend the nest, which, 

 howev^er, never reaches a great size. Fifty or sixty cells constitute a 

 large nest, but it happens sometimes that a second comb is attached 

 to the first by little pillars, as is the case in the nest of wasps. 



In the engraving are representations of one large and two small 

 nests of Polistcs gallica. That on the left-hand side projects from 

 a peduncle which is attached to a stem. On the right-hand side 

 there is a front view of a small nest, and a Polistcs is building the 

 cells. The large nest shows many open cells, a few of which con- 

 tain larvae, whose heads are placed outwards, so as to receive food 

 from the vv^orkers ; there are other cells which appear to be closed 

 in consequence of the larvae having spun their cocoons within them. 



Professor C. T. von Siebold has made most careful examina- 

 tion of the habits and peculiarities of these wasps, and he notices 



