276 VESPA, VESPEfeTILIO. 



vulgaris, (common wasp,) thorax black with ail 

 interrupted yellow line each side ; scutel with 

 four yellow .spots ; abdomen yellow, the incis- 

 ures with distinct black dots. Live in large 

 societies, and construct a pendent cone with 

 woody fibres in an incipient slate of decay. The 

 fibres are manufactured into thin concentric 

 membranes, laid over each other at a distance 

 sufficient to leave a passage between them. The 

 combs are placed in the base of the cone. 

 Remarks, Five of the genera abdopted by 



Latreille are the sections of this genus. Thus : 



Sec. B. Lip ovate, as long as the jaw, is the 

 MELLINUS. 8 species. 



Sec. C. Lip compressed, rounded, longer than 

 the jaw, is the PHIL AM THUS. 14 species. 



Sec. I). Lip short, horny, is the CRABRO. 56 

 species. 



Sec. E. Tongue bifid, retractile, is the MASARIS. 

 2 species. 



Sec. F. Torque inflected, five- cleft, is the BEM- 



BEX. 17 secies 



Each of these might be subdivided again and 

 again : and so might every genus in every depart- 

 ment of natural history, if it contains more than 

 one species. 



See MS. P. 



1 3. VESPERTILIO. Spec. 25. 



murinus, (common bat,) tailed ; nose and mouth 

 simple ; ears less than the head ; mouse-colour 

 tinged with red. Two and a half inches long. 

 Flies at night only. Upper fore teeth four in 

 immber ; lower six. 



