ECONOMY OF THE VESPIDjE. 183 



lated at the extremity. This structure is required to 

 enable them to collect and manufacture the material of 

 which their densely populated nests are constructed, 

 and which are protected by a covering thicker than, 

 but closely resembling, coarse vellum or card-board, 

 which is totally impervious to the vicissitudes of the 

 weather. Within this, the cells are affixed to the un- 

 der side of horizontal or downwardly curved and parallel 

 layers, which are sometimes formed of a substance 

 similar to the external envelope, but frequently less 

 substantial. Others form their nests of a kind of pale 

 clay intermixed with small particles of the fibre of 

 straw : these nests are of various forms ; some conical, 

 with truncated extremities ; others rounded, generally 

 ventricose, but sometimes with their sides parallel ; but 

 the envelope is always in a continuous sheet, whereby they 

 differ from the genus Veupa itself, the envelope of which 

 consists of a succession of layers placed in superposition, 

 that which is most external being the last finished. 

 They are variously situated according to specific pecu- 

 liarities ; sometimes high on trees, or upon low shrubs 

 near the ground. Reaumur has described all the pecu- 

 liarities of several of these nests ; and we are in expect- 

 ation of having a memoir upon them by Mr. White, 

 who, having all the ample materials at his command 

 which the British Museum affords, will have every op- 

 portunity of duly treating the subject, which is one of 

 considerable interest. It has long been known that a 

 species of wasp, the Vespa Lecheguana, collects honey 

 in store within its nest. This appeared at fkst so start- 

 ling a fact that naturalists would not credit it, until 

 it became confirmed by the testimony of a duly qua- 

 lified scientific observer, Geoffrey de St. Hilaire, who 

 brought with him to Europe specimens of the in- 

 sect, as well as of their nest and its contents. The 

 insect itself is identical with the Brachygastra* analis of 



* The name Brachygaster having been applied, many years ago, by 

 Leach to the Evaniaminuta Oliv., it is requisite to change the name of the 

 present genus: we therefore propose in lieu of it, Nectari.na, 



N 4 



