414 



Oct. 12th. Early in the morning some ether was poured into 

 the hole, and the entrance closed until they were all insensible. 

 A few only had gone abroad, and these were captured one by 

 one as they returned. On opening the cavity containing the nest, 

 the excavation was found to be a cylindrical pit about one foot in 

 depth and seven or eight inches in diameter. The nest was not 

 suspended, as is the case with that of an analogous species in 

 Europe, nor was there any evidence that it had been, but rested 

 on the bottom of the pit. It was five inches in its vertical and 

 six in its transverse diameter, and of a nearly spherical form. It 

 had an outer covering of paper, as in the case of the hornets 

 building under the eaves of houses or on trees, but was much 

 more frail, and could scarcely be touched without breaking to 

 pieces. The covering was not arranged in concentric layers, as in 

 the nest of the other species, but consisted of numerous convex 

 scales or plates which overlapped each other and adhered by the 

 edgres. Several stones were embedded in the walls. These had 

 been set free during the process of excavation, and as they were 

 too heavy to be removed, had fallen to the bottom, and were 

 eventually built into the walls of the nest as it was finished 

 below. 



The combs consisted of four stories, each suspended by several 

 pillars from the one above it, and the first from the roof of the nest. 

 As in the more common species, the edges were not in any instance 

 attached to the walls. The three upper combs contained cells 

 measuring about 0.17 of an inch in diameter; but those in the 

 fourth and lowest, therefore the last built, were much larger and 

 deeper, varying from 0.21 to 0.23 of an inch in diameter. These 

 were for the use of female larvae and pup^e, while the others con- 

 tained those of males and workers. The larger portion of the 

 cells for the females had been used, and others were still occupied 

 by pupae, and the entrances were still sealed up. Those which 

 had been occupied had deposits of animal matter at the bottom of 

 them. Five queen cells were still occupied. 



The adult population of the nest was nearly as follows : 



Queens, or females 24 



Males 236 



Neuters, or workers 388 



Total 648 



