British Hijmcnoptera. 169 



and angularly produced in the centre, and with a round 

 black sjDot at each side of the angle ; on the 2nd and 

 following segments in many varieties the black colour is 

 extended, so that the central angle and the black spots at 

 its sides are united. This is generally the case in 

 the S' ', each segment beneath with a narrow black basal 

 band, produced at each side into a spot, or with an 

 unconnected spot below it ; sometimes also the centres of 

 the bands are angularly produced. Genital segments of 

 the (? with the sagittfe rounded at the apex, and not 

 emarginate. Legs yellow ; the femora, except at the 

 apex, and sometimes the tibiae inwardly, black. Length, <? 

 17 mm., $ 18 — 20 mm., ^ 12 — 15 mm. 



Hah. Common everywhere. The 5 hybernates,andmay 

 often be found in the early spring ; the ^ appears most 

 abundantly in August. Makes its nest in the ground. 



3. Vespa germanica, Fab. 



Fab., Ent. Syst. ii., p. 256 ; Panz., Faun. Germ., 49, 

 20 : Fig. Smith, Brit. Foss. Hym., &c., p. 216 ; pi. v., 

 figs. 18, 19, 21. 



Very like the preceding, and sometimes very difficult 

 to separate from it. 



The (^ may, however, be easily known by the very dif- 

 ferent shape of the genital organs, the sagittse being 

 sharply emarginate instead of rounded at the apex ; the 

 black colour also of the truncate portion of the basal 

 segment of the abdomen does not extend on to the dorsal 

 surface, except just in the middle and at each side, where 

 it forms a triangular spot ; the other segments of the 

 abdomen have each a triangular spot in the middle and 

 a small round spot on each side. 



The ? may be known from that of vulgaris by the three 

 distinct black spots on the clypeus, and by the coloration 

 of the basal segment of the abdomen, which has, instead 

 of the angulated band of vulgaris, a black diamond- 

 shaped spot in the centre extending almost from the base 

 of the dorsal surface to the apex, and a small, somewhat 

 square, black spot on each side of it ; the 2nd and 

 following segments vary in the extent of the black colour, 

 but have generally a narrow black central spot at the 

 base, sometimes springing from a basal band, and a 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1882. — PART II. (jULY.) Z 



