170 Mr. E. Saunders' Synopsis of 



round spot on each side of the central one about midway 

 between the base and apex. 



The ^ is very difficult to separate from some varieties 

 of ridgaris ^ , as the basal band of the 1st abdominal 

 segment in the latter is occasionally broken into three 

 spots ; but when this is the case the three separate 

 black spots on the clypeus of germanica will serve to 

 distinguish it. Length, <? 17 mm., 2 18 — 20 mm., ^ 12 — 

 15 mm. 



Hab. Equally common with the preceding. 



4. Vespa rufa, Linn. 



Linn., Syst. Nat., ed. x., vol. i,, p. 572 ; Smith, Brit. 

 Foss. Hym., &c., p. 217 ; Fig. Curtis, Brit. Ent., 

 pi. 760. ■ 



This species, allied to vulgaris and germanica in the 

 structure of the head, may be separated from them at 

 once in all the sexes by the indefinite markings of the 

 abdomen ; these markings do not stand out clearly black 

 against the yellow, but on the 1st and 2nd segments, 

 and sometimes on the others, they are irregularly bor- 

 dered with brownish red. The face is very like that of 

 vulgaris, but the spaces in the sinuation of the eyes are not 

 entirely yellow, as in that species, but have only a narrow 

 yellow line near the apex of each. There is a good 

 structural character pointed out by Thomson, viz., that 

 the sides of the head posteriorly are not margined in 

 this species, as they are in vulgaris and germanica ; this 

 character, however, is difficult to see without removing 

 the head. 



The ^ may be easily known structurally by the shape 

 of the genital organs, the sagittae of which are produced 

 into a process somewhat resembling the shape of a duck's 

 bill. Length as in the preceding. 



Hah. Common and generally distributed, but not so 

 abundant as either of the preceding. 



The extent of the red colouring of the abdomen varies 

 very much, especially in the ^ , which has sometimes, 

 according to Smith, the first two abdominal segments 

 entirely red. 



