494 ^HE TAILED WASi*. 



^ENVS III Sircx. 1'he Tailed Wafp. 



i. HE animals of this genus are not fo numerous nor di- 

 verfified as the lafl, but are grcatlj fup.erior in fize ; the 

 mouth is armed with two Ilrong jaws ; the palpi fhort, 

 and articulated; the antennae are filiform, and confift oi 

 near thirty articulations ; the iHng is long, flifF, ferrated, 

 and projecting beyond the abdomen ; the wings are plain, 

 and of the fliape of a lance ; the abdomen is flender, ter- 

 minatmg in a point towards the fting f . 



Of the feven different kinds of firices, the gigas of 

 Linnaus is the largefl j the male, indeed, as Is frequently 

 the cafe, is one third lefs in fize than his female, and has 

 neither fpine nor fting at his extremity : That inftru- 

 Aient, however, is formidable in the other fex ; it confifts 

 of three laminae ; two at the fides, which ferve for flieaths, 

 and one in the middle, fomewhat ferrated, which is the 

 real fting. 



The wings of this fpecies are large, yellow, and vein- 

 ed ; the thighs fliort, and black ; and the legs, as well as 

 the tarfi, are yellow ; the antenncs are of thr fame co=. 

 iour, and are inferted into a black head, which has ap- 

 3 parently 



t Syft. Nat. Ord. V. Gen. 3, 



