NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 137 



several cocoous. One of these I opened to look at the pupa, but 

 discovered nothing but the shell of the pupa full of a mass of pinkish - 

 grey powder. I opened another cocoon, and with the same result ; 

 so I then looked at the remainder, and to my disgust found that they 

 were all in the same condition — there was not a living pupa among 

 them. One or two of the cocoons contained shrivelled up larvae, but 

 all the others were in the same state as the first one. Has anyone 

 had a similar experience with this species ? — Gervase F, Mathew ; 

 Dovercourt, Essex, April 16th, 1903. 



The Attitude of Hybernating Vespa occidentalis : a Comparative 

 Study. — The article by F. W. Frohawk on the " Attitude of Hyber- 

 nating Wasps" in the February 'Entomologist' interested me to 

 investigate the circumstances attending the hybernation of our Cali- 

 fornia species of wasp, Vespa occidentalis. The following is offered as 

 a study for comparison. On March 6th I made observations on the 

 bark of the blue-gum, a species of FAicalypius, and found in the loose 

 bark of this tree about a dozen specimens of hybernating wasps in a 

 good state of preservation. The wasp rested with feet on the inside 

 of bark, generally on thickest portions of loose bark, and almost 

 invariably on the north side of the tree. The wings were not flat 

 against the bark, except at end of abdomen where they protruded, and 

 held between posterior legs and abdomen. The legs were under the 

 wings, with the feet flat against the bark. The middle legs did not 

 touch the bark, for the body was so humped as to rest on the front 

 and hind legs. The head was lowered, with the antennas curved about 

 the neck between head and forelegs. They were perfectly dry and 

 pliable, without any trace of a secretory fluid to hold them in place. 

 The body was covered with beads of moisture, the largest beads being 

 on the ventral side of the abdomen. The jaws were not fastened. 

 They were wide apart, the mandibles slightly piercing the wood, but 

 very readily relaxed their hold when the bark was inverted. This 

 species under normal circumstances hybernates under ground, but 

 owing to the rainy season (we have nearly all the rain of the year 

 during the winter in California) the insect must seek a dry shelter, 

 and the loose bark of the Eucalyptus offers an ideal refuge. The 

 reason that the insect, in seeking a place for hybernation, selects the 

 north side of the tree is, I presume, to protect itself from being 

 irritated by the sun's rays. The winters here are exceedingly mild ; 

 the average annual minimum temperature is 32-1°, and the lowest 

 temperature ever recorded is 24-9°. — M. Metzmain ; Dept. of Entomo- 

 logy, University of California, Berkeley, California, March 7th. 



Urticating Larval Hairs. — Eeferring to Mr. Carter's note {ante, 

 p. 68) on the irritating properties contained in the hairy coats of 

 •'Bombyces," I can speak feelingly, as I was terribly punished when 

 dealing with the larvae and the cocoons of P. chrysonhcea. I received 

 a large nest of larvae from my old friend Mr. Hargreaves, taken at 

 Hove (near Brighton), and knowing by previous experience the effect 

 of P. aurijiua and B. quercus, I was most careful not to handle them ; 

 but if I only opened the cage to put in fresh food, I found the effect 

 on my wrists, between my fingers, &c., and when the moths were 



ENTOM. MAY, 1903. M 



