48 NATURAL HISTORY OF WASES. 
ing shade is deepened into a continuous transverse 
stripe of black, the square edge of the ring displaying 
two short bright yellow streaks instead of the usual 
interspaces between the spots. In the second ring 
the black band sweeps down in a curve to a central 
cusp on which a button is placed as in V. arborea. 
The two small lateral spots are connected with 
this central button by fine reddish lines, and the 
edges of the button have a rufous or orange shade. 
This rufous shade descends towards the tail, en- 
closing the lateral spots, then rises to meet a cusp 
projecting from the black band near the extreme end 
of the dorsal scale. A smaller cusp like this is found 
in the same place in V. arborea, where we have 
already noticed a similar disposition of the ight and 
dark shades ; but in the other species it is scarcely to 
be recognized. In the succeeding rings the button 
is merged in the cusp, which appears in a dome 
shape, still giving off the reddish lines to the lateral 
spots. In darker specimens of this species, as of the 
hornet, all these delicate markings are lost, the 
rufous shades are replaced by broad dark lines. It 
is curious that De Saussure,” in his beautiful figures 
of the Vespe, should have selected a dark specimen 
of V. rufa as a typical illustration; while Curtis, 
in his no less beautiful series of illustrations, has 
selected a specimen with as bright tints as are ever 
to be seen. Both are equally correct as illustrations ; 
and are apposite warnings at the same time of the 
difficulties which we may expect to meet with, in 
spite of the best written descriptions, even with, the 
aid of figures, in determining species. 
* ©‘ Guépes Sociales.’ Planche XIV. 
+ British Hymenoptera,’ reprint, 1862, Plate 760. 
