EDGEWORTH — ON IRISH VESPIDJB. 103 



distinctly proves that these Wasps always keep a sentinel on duty. 

 He observed that the oldest and most crippled of the "Wasps were ap- 

 pointed for this arduous post. 



Several years ago I suspended a nest of this species to the ceiling in 

 my room, leaving the upper part of the window open, so that the "Wasps 

 might have free access to the open air. Though there were few "Wasps 

 at first, yet in a few days they became very numerous ; but such is the 

 power which familiarity has in rendering these animals tame, that I 

 was never stung. These "Wasps used to go to sleep at sunset, and were 

 up at the* first dawn of light. "When taking this nest from its original 

 position, I shook most of the Wasps out, and two or three days after- 

 wards I found that they had built a new nest for themselves in the 

 same position. This new nest contained no cells, and was simply 

 globular, composed of thick walls of paper. Four times I destroyed 

 the posthumous nest, and four times they rebuilt it. Now, though 

 V. vulgaris will obstinately cling to the spot where its cells were, yet I 

 have never known it to attempt to restore its nest. 



Vespa sylvcstris, or campanular Wasp, is, I believe, pretty common in 

 many parts of this country. At Edgeworthstown I generally find two 

 or three nests every summer. The appearance of the nest is very dis- 

 tinctive, being of a pale colour, and of small size. The folds of 

 paper cover each other very evenly, like flounces. It builds under dense 

 masses of foliage, and under the thatch of houses, or, in point of fact, 

 in any well-protected situation. There is very little remarkable 

 about its habits, except that it stings with extreme severity when dis- 

 turbed. 



Such is the imperfect outline of the history of the Irish Vespidae. 

 The subject is full of the deepest interest. Our knowledge of the habits 

 of these insects is still in its infancy. The few facts we know are per- 

 haps crude and imperfect, and it is much to be desired that many of the 

 members of this Society, who are so well qualified for the task, would 

 turn their serious attention to a branch of natural history w r here so 

 much that is new and interesting remains to be carefully learned and 

 investigated. 



The Eev. Dr. Haughton, E. T. C. D., observed that the form of the 

 cell of each of the Wasps alluded to was a matter of interest. He had 

 only examined the cell of the Vespa Britannica, or tree Wasp, and he did 

 not know whether it differed in form from the cells of the other species 

 which Mr. Edgeworth had mentioned, or not. The late Dr. Kinahan 

 placed a number of Wasps' nests at his disposal, but he thought they 

 were all those of the Vespa Britannica. The facts related by Mr. Edge- 

 worth were of great interest. He was interested particularly by the 

 statement, that the Wasps had the advantage in the struggle for life 

 with the bees. The superiority of the bee in other ways was proved by a 

 variety of facts, as for instance its greater skill in making its cells; there- 

 fore it was strange that a savage like the Wasp should be able to vanquish 

 it. Perhaps this was, after all, only what was to be observed among human 



