722 



of 



sidered obsolete since Cuvter, in 1798, limited 

 the term to the animals now known as An- 

 nelides and Entozoa. In Mr. Broderip's ob- 

 servations on this subject he makes the fol- 

 lowing sensible remarks : " The history of 

 the now obsolete class of Vermes is interest- 

 ing to the philosophical naturalist, since to 

 him it symbolises the progress of zoological 

 science. At first, with few materials on 

 which to build his arrangement, the zoolo- 

 gist was guided solely by a vaque perception 

 of analogy. Similarities of external form 

 were made the basis of classification. The 

 distinction between the resemblance of ani- 

 mals adapted for existence under similar 

 conditions of the earth's surface and their 

 relations to each other according to their 

 organization, correspondent with their posi- 

 tion in the series, could not be expected to 

 strike the naturalist when his data were as 

 yet so scanty. But as the discovery of spe- 

 cies, the observation of their distribution and 

 habits, and the anatomical investigation of 

 their structure progressed, a new light opened 

 on his mind, and he learned to separate 

 forms merely analogous, and to combine such 

 as had a true affinity of structure in well- 

 defined divisions." 



VERMETUS. A genus of Mollusca, con- 

 sisting of only one species, Vermetus lum- 

 bricalis, which may be found in groups, 

 twisted together in great numbers, in the 

 seas near Senegal. The animal has two ten- 

 tacula, with eyes at the base ; foot cylindri- 

 cal. The shell is thin, tubular, irregularly 

 and slightly twisted ; aperture round ; apex 

 pointed. 



VERMILIA. A genus of Annulata com- 

 posed of species of Serpulce, and found on 

 stones, shells, fuci, &c. They are attached 

 by the whole length of their shell, no part 

 being free. The tube is testaceous, cylindri- 

 cal, gradually lessening at one end, and 

 more or less twisted. 



VESICULOSA. A group of Dipterous 

 insects, nearly allied to Bombylius ; with the 

 wings deflexed at each side of the body ; the 

 alulets very large, and covering the halteres; 

 the head small and globular ; the thorax 

 very gibbose ; the abdomen vesiculose ; and 

 the proboscis directed backwards, or wanting. 



VESPA : VESPID^E. A family of acu- 

 leated Hymenopterous insects, (including 

 the common Wasp and Hornet,) which live 

 in temporary societies, consisting of males, 

 females, and workers or neuters. They are 

 characterized by their geniculate antennae, 

 composed in the males of thirteen joints, and 

 sometimes, in this sex, hooked at the ex- 

 tremity. Mandibles strong and dentated ; 

 clypeus large ; ligula plumose or bilobed. 

 The sting of the females and neuters long, 

 powerful, and highly venomous. The econo- 

 my of these insects is scarcely less interesting 

 than that of the hive bee (with which they 

 agree in their habit of constructing hexago- 

 nal cells arranged in combs of ditferent size.) 

 [See BEE.] 



The societies are, however, annual, being 

 dissolved at the approach of winter. The 

 nests are of varied size, according to the 



number of the society by which they are 

 inhabited, being from time to time enlarged 

 during the summer, as the community be- 

 comes more and more extensive. Previous 

 to the setting in of the winter, the females, 

 which have been but recently developed, are 

 impregnated by the males, which soon after- 

 wards die ; the females then disperse, seek- 

 ing winter quarters, in sheltered situations ; 

 and those which survive the rigours of winter 

 commence the building of a new nest at the 

 return of the spring, in which they deposit 

 eggs and tend their young themselves ; these 

 at first consisting entirely of neuters, which 

 assist their parent in the duties of the nest. 

 The nests are either built underground in 

 holes, in banks, or are attached to the 

 branches of trees, or the woodwork of out- 

 houses. Thej' are composed of a paper-like 

 substance formed of finely-gnawed wood, or 

 the bark of trees, reduced to a kind of paste 

 by the action of the jaws, and contain a 

 variable number of cells, which are of an 

 hexagonal form, arranged in tiers with the 

 mouth downwards, or opening sideways, in 

 which the larvae and pupae are contained. 

 The larvae of the wasp tribe are vermiform 

 and without feet : those of the solitary species 

 are enclosed separately in a cell, in which 

 the mother deposits, with singular apparent 

 foresight, at the same time with the egg, the 

 bodies of insects, killed for the purpose, and 

 upon which the larva feeds. The nest is 

 generally surrounded by an envelope, 

 pierced with a common central opening. 

 The larvae are nourished with the juices or 

 pulp of fruit provided for them by the neu- 

 ters ; they are shut up, and spin for them- 

 selves a cocoon, when about to become 

 nymphs. 



These insects are very voracious, preying 

 upon other insects, sugar, meat, fruit, honey, j 

 &c., which, after being properly prepared in j 

 the stomach of the winged insects, is dis- 

 gorged, and serves as food for the young, j 

 which are fed therewith daily ; the females ' 

 as well as neuters assisting in this task. The 

 males, as in all other social insects, are drones ' 

 performing no kind of labour. Notwith- ! 

 standing the powerful sting of the Wasp, it : 

 is liable to the attacks of other insects. The i 

 Hornet fycspa crabro) builds its nest in de- | 

 caying hollow trees, under the eaves of 

 barns, &c. [See WASP and HORNET.] 



PASTE-BOARD WASPS. (Charterffus.~) We 

 shall conclude the article Vespidae with an 

 account of a South American Wasp which 

 collects honey ; as described by Mr. Adam 

 White. " Some of the Wasp tribe of the 

 New World form their nests of a solid and 

 rather thick pasteboard. Such structures 

 have been met with in Pennsylvania, while 

 they occur frequently in the more tropi- 

 cal parts of South America as far as Buenos 

 Ayres, and very probably much to the 

 south of that point : in the description of 

 the Isthmus of Darien, Wafer mentions 

 " the bird's nest bee, the hives of which are 

 black and hard, hanging from the trees like 

 birds' nests." The best known is that of the 

 j Chartergus nidulans, which is formed of a j 

 I beautifully polished white and solid paste- 



