GROUND-BUILDING AND TREE WASPS. 121 



have passed through my hands, I am not by any means sure that 

 many of these had not been searched out of holes and corners in dead 

 condition. 



A Queen Wasp on the wing in April, or hybernating preparatory 

 to flight, is glossy and bright, and would last for some time without 

 becoming faded and discoloured, so much shrunk as by no means to 

 convey the impression she was a Queen at all, and also so putrid as 

 for the abdomen to break in on touching. It may be worth while to 



Vespa vulgakis. — Largest specimen, Queen, or female ; si^ecimen to left-hand with 

 long horns, drone, or male ; right-hand specimen, neuter, or worker. 



draw attention of those who are not accustomed to examination of 

 insects to these points, and also to note that the mere number of 

 Queens paid for is not a sure guide as to the number got rid of. 



Therefore, amongst the various observations received, the only one 

 which seems of special interest is the collection made by Mr. H. Foard 

 Harris, of Brooke House, Fleet, Hants, which suggests that, where 

 wished, and where there could be some confidence that the Wasps 

 brought in were from that special neighbourhood, identification of 

 species would give some interesting information as to coincidence of 

 occurrence of special kinds with special kinds of soil and surroundings. 

 The exceedingly liberal reward ofiered by Mr. Foard Harris brought in 

 a very large reply in the shape of dead Queens ; in the words of my 

 contributor, in agreeing with me that the sum was large, he remarked : 

 " But the plague here last year was so ' awful ' that we would do any- 

 thing to avoid another." As, however, he did not feel certain that all 

 brought in were Queens, he forwarded a large number to me for 

 examination. They proved to be right in this respect ; but in turning 

 them over, I was so much struck by the preponderance of specimens 

 of " V. rnfa," which had never been a common kind m localities where 

 I studied Wasp life, that I ventured to submit some of the specimens 

 to Mr. Edw. Saunders, F.E.S., of St. Ann's, Woking, for benefit of 

 his skilled identification. Mr. Saunders kindly replied: — "All the 

 examples of Wasps you sent are Queens. V. rufa is always common 



K 



