Entomological Society. 9461 



" On ihe 18th I observed the workers belongiug to a nest of V. vulgaris bringing 

 out the larviE, some only about half-grown, which they carried to a distance and then 

 dropped, just as they are in the habit of doing at the close of the season when the 

 commuuiiies break up — a proof that at that time the colony was in anything but a 

 heulihy state. This nest was close to one of V. gerniauica. The former became a 

 ruin before the end of August, and the latter soon afterwards; thus proving that 

 disease of some kind had attacked both communities. 



"On the Isl of August I took out a nest of V. sylvestris. It was suffering from 

 the attacks of a species of Acarus, which infested it in countless numbers: a female of 

 Authomyia iiicana was also found in it in the act of depositing her etrgs. I also took 

 out a small nest of the same species built by a few workers belonging to one I had 

 removed on the 16th of July: the present specimen was a very rough-looking object, 

 it having been built among the tangled roots of the common couch-grass: it con- 

 taiued many pupae or spun-up larvce, besides eggs, and larvae of various sizes. On 

 the same day I look out one of V. germanica, which had been constructed by workers 

 from a nest removed on the 16th of July : it consisted of a small comb with a hood- 

 shaped covering: in some of the cells were very small larvoB ; in the rest eggs only. 

 I also took out a nest of V. rufa built by workers belonging to one removed on the 

 15th of July: it was a most singular-looking nest, in shape very like a mole (Talpa 

 vulgaris), and of much about the same size. 



" On the 2nd I took out a nest of V. sylvestris, constructed by workers from one 

 removed on the 11th of July: it contained great numbers of pupae, as well as larvae 

 of various sizes, and some few eggs. The larvae were suffering greally from the 

 attacks of an Acarus, which, by sucking their juices, had reduced them to a deplorably 

 emaciated state, so that the destruction of the entire brood must, from this circum- 

 stance alone, have speedily ensued. On ihut day I took out a nest of V. germanica, 

 constructed by workers belonging to one I had removed on the 4 th of July. A queen 

 of the species had by some means contrived to introduce herself into this nest, where 

 she had become domiciled: it measured about three inches one way and two inches 

 the other. On the same day I took out a nest of V. rufa, produced by workers from one 

 removed on the 16th of July : it was very small, measuring but two inches and a 

 half in length by one inch in breadth: it contained a few spun-up larvae, beside 

 eggs, &c. 



" On the 16th I brought home combs belonging to a nest of V. iulgaris, into 

 which, through the aperture leading to ii, the gardener at Cokethorpe Park had, a few 

 evenings before, poured a (luanlity of gas tar. On opening the ciosed-up cells I found 

 several pupa; of the parasite Ripiphorus paradoxus, and numbers of the perfect insect, 

 both male and female, but could not detect the presence of a larva. 



" On the 1 9th I was more fortunate, for on taking out a nest of V. vulgaris and 

 proceeding to open the closed-up cells, I found a larva of the parasite firmly attached 

 to the full-grown larva of the wasp; the mouth of the former buried in the body of 

 the latter just below the head; its neck bent over that of its victim, whose body 

 appeared to be tightly compressed by that of its destroyer, showing the latter to be 

 possessed of a considerable amount of muscular power. It was of minute size when 

 discovered, and appeared to have only very recently fastened upon its victim ; but so 

 voracious was its appetite, and so rapid its growth, that in the course of the following 

 forty-eight hours it attained its full size, having consumed every particle of its prey 

 with the exception of the skin and mandibles, which, from observations 1 have since 



