IO 



COLORATION IN POLISTES. 



In order to render intelligible the descriptions which follow, a gen- 

 eral account of its coloration is herewith given, and reference is made 

 to figs, i to 4, which represent the various features of the external 

 anatomy of the wasp. The coloring, simply stated, consists in some 

 shade or shades of brown varied by yellow. The brown is cuticular, 

 occurring in the chitinous exoskeleton, and varies from a pale cinnamon 

 through reddish brown to dark brown, which is almost black in some 

 species. The yellow varies greatly in amount and distribution. It is 



a c d e f 1 



FIG. i. Dorsal view of Polistes palltpes : (a) Antenna, (b) Ocelli, (c) Eye, (d) Vertex, (e) Prothorax, 

 (f) Mesothorax, (g) Scutellum, (A) Post Scutellum, (i) Metathorax, (f) Petiole of ab- 

 domen. 



PIG. 2. Lateral view of P. pallipes : (a) Kye, (d) Cheek, (c) Prothorax, (d) Mesothorax, (e) Scutel- 

 lum, (/) Post Scutellum, (g) Coxa of first leg, (h) Mesopleura, (i) Metapleura, (j) Coxa 

 of second leg (k) Coxa of third leg, (/) Petiole of abdomen. 



PIG. 3. Front view of head of female of P. pallipes : (a) Ocelli, (b) Front, (c) Antenna, (d) Eye,. 

 (e) Clypeus, (f) Mandibles. 



FIG. 4. Middle leg of P. pallipes : (a) Coxa, (*) Trochanter, (c) Femur, (d) Tibia, (e) Apical spurs,. 

 (_/") Basal joint of tarsus, (g) Distal joints of tarsus. 



hypodermal (figs. 5 to 6) and occurs, wherever the cuticle is transparent, 

 in the borders of the various areas represented in figs, i and 2, in longi- 

 tudinal lines in the metathorax and metameric spots on the dorsal and 

 ventral surfaces of the abdomen (fig. i). In certain species the yellow 

 appears in all of the above-noted regions, in others it is entirely ob- 

 scured by the darker cuticular pigment, while still other species 

 represent all possible transitions between these two extremes (Pis. Ill 

 and IV). In addition to these pigmental colors there are certain 



