356 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. X, 



Cumberland Co., Campbell, York Co., Heckton Mills, High 

 Spire and Rockville, Dauphin Co., North East, Erie Co., 

 Martie Forge, Lancaster Co., and Philadelphia, Pa.; Cabin 

 John and Plummers Island, Montgomery Co., and Linwood, 

 Carroll Co., Md.; Washington, D. C. ; Chain Bridge, Alexandria 

 Co., Dixie Landing, Pohick Run, Newington, and Mt. Vernon, 

 Fairfax Co., Va. ; Highlands, Macon Co., N. C; Jacksonville, 

 Duval Co., Fla. ; Holly Springs, Marshall Co., Miss; Lake 

 Charles, Calcasieu Co., La. ; Mich.; Cory don, Harrison Co., 

 Borden, Clark Co., and Noblesville, Hamilton Co., Ind.; 

 Riley Co. and Lawrence, Douglas Co., Kans. ; West Cliff, 

 Custer Co., Colo.; Dallas, Dallas Co., Denton, Denton Co., 

 Paris, Lamar Co., Victoria, Victoria Co., and Wolf City, 

 Hunt Co., Texas; in the United States and one specimen 

 labeled Canada. 



Specimens of the melanistic variety, (No. 1) are from New 

 Orleans, La.; Jacksonville, Duval Co., Fla.; and Victoria, 

 Victoria Co., Texas. 



All specimens of variety No. 2 are labeled New Jersey. 



To the states listed above, Connecticut may be added, as 

 the species is recorded from that state by both Viereck and 

 Britton. 



Neotype. — Determined by the writer. U. S. National 

 Museum. 



This species is larger and more slender than any other 

 belonging to this group and the petiole is pyriform while with 

 the others it is more or less distinctly campanulate. In these 

 respects it resembles the species of the smithii group. 



Fraternus is the commonest of the American species and its 

 habits are the best known. Accompanying Say's original 

 description of the species is also a description of the globular 

 nest with the opening terminated by a jug-like mouth. The 

 nest has subsequently been described -by a number of observers, 

 and is known to occur singly or in groups of 2 to 5, on the 

 surface of stones or leaves or 'attached to twigs or weed stems. 

 Lepidopterous larvse are stored as food for the wasp grubs. 

 According to Say they store nocturnal Lepidoptera; Harris 

 records the storing of canker-worms {Anisopteryx vernata Peck.) ; 

 Norton in a note in Saussure's Synopsis records the storing of 

 green diurnal Lepidoptera; South wick describes the destruction 

 of the parsnip web- worm (Depressaria heraclina De G.) 



