THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 319 



and which appears to be general, is most extraordinary. In 

 the early part of the season queen wasps absolutely swarmed 

 in this neighbourhood, and hundreds of nests must have been 

 commenced : in fact I myself observed no less than thirty- 

 five in one day ; these were situated in chambers 1 had pre- 

 viously formed in the earth for the express purpose of obtain- 

 ing nests : I made about seventy in all, and on going round, 

 on the 28th of April, to examine them, I found, as above 

 stated, that thirty-five had become tenanted ; but one nest 

 after another became deserted, some in a few days after their 

 commencement, others at periods more distant, but none 

 attained to a size larger than about that of an orange. I 

 have found altogether sixty nests, but at the present time 

 only four of the number are progressing ; the others, as fast 

 as they became deserted, I added to my collection. Two of 

 the four above-mentioned I removed a few weeks ago, and 

 placed them in rooms of an unoccupied house I have used as 

 an establishment for wasps for some years past; the work is 

 being carried on, but I am much mistaken if symptoms of 

 decline have not manifested themselves in both these nests 

 within the last two or three days, as also in one still occupy- 

 ing its original situation under ground. The other one, 

 situated in the thatch of an out-house, I have not lately had 

 an opportunity of observing, but 1 question whether in a few 

 weeks there will be a single nest to be found, owing probably 

 to some great peculiarity in the season, which, however fine 

 and to all appearance favourable to insect life in general, has 

 certainly had a baneful efiect upon this particular family, the 

 social Vespidse. That earwigs, which swarm to an extent I 

 have never before witnessed, centipedes, woodlice and ants, 

 have been in some degree instrumental in causing the de- 

 struction of nests, especially during the earlier periods of 

 their formation, cannot be denied ; still that would hardly 

 account for the almost utter destruction which appears to 

 have taken place. — S. Stone ; Brigliihampton, Witney, Au- 

 gust 3, 1865. 



259. Note on Vespa norvegica of Fahricius, the Veapa 

 britannica of I^ach. — As some account of the economy of 

 this insect may be interesting, I send tliis note for the use of 

 those who may at some future time write its history. In the 

 month of April I observed a large wasp (which I suspect was 



