44 PERCY SLADEN TRUST EXPEDITION 



Fam. Vespidse, Steph. 



POLISTES, Latr. 



5. Polistes macaensis Fabr., Ent. Syst., ii, p. 259 (1793). 



Polistes hebrcBus Cameron (nee Fabr.), Trans. Linn. Soc. London, ser. 2, Zool., xii, 

 p. 71 (1907). 



Though the specimens are not quite typical, there can be very httle doubt as to the 

 identity of the Seychelles Polistes : a comparison between the series from these islands 

 and the type $ in the Banksian Collection makes this abundantly clear. Li the Seychelles 

 $ there is usually no trace of red at the base of the second abdominal tergite, only 

 occasionally is there a little ; in the type from Macao the base of this tergite is reddish, 

 contrasted with the yellow apex ; neither this specimen nor the Seychelles specimens have 

 the hind tibiae darkened. Distinction can best be drawn between P. macaensis and the 

 nearly allied P. hebrceus in the $, Dr R. C. L. Perkins having drawn attention (Ent. Mo. 

 Mag., (2), xii, 1901, p. 264) to the excellent characters supplied by the spines on the 

 seventh sternite. Two $ were collected in the Seychelles, and in them these spines are 

 closely approximated, very long, and spatulate at the apex : spines of this form are 

 characteristic of P. macaensis, whereas in P. Jiehr(Bus they are far apart, very short, and 

 pointed at the apex. 



Seychelles : Mahd and Silhouette, from low cultivated country, but not from the high 

 forests (Hugh Scott, 1908 — 9); Praslin (1905). Chagos Islands: Salomon Atoll and 

 Diego Garcia (1905). Amirantes Islands : Desroches Island, &c. (1905). A large series. 



Note. The thoracic and abdominal markings of Odynerus seychellensis are of a 

 striking reddish-chrome colour (vide Repertoire des Couleurs); this colour is also prevalent 

 in Ewmenes alluaudi Pdrez, from the Seychelles, and in the fossor, Crabro (Dasyproctus) 

 scotti, Turner (Trans. Linn. Soc. London, ser. 2, Zool., xiv, p. 373, 1911). It would seem 

 that the insects with markings of this colour are indigenous to the Seychelles, since 

 none of the three species mentioned are found outside the group ; on the other hand, 

 the widely spread and imported species preserve their normal type of marking. 



