TEYPOXYLON. 



353 



In the accompanying illustration are figured the nests of two 

 insects, both of them natives of tropical America, and both 

 belonging to the hymenopterous order. The upper insect is 

 known to entomologists by the name of Trypoxylon aurifronSi 

 but has at present no popular name. 



TRTPOXTLOM AND PSLOP^.US. 



This insect makes a great number of earthen cells, shaped 

 something like those of the last-mentioned species; the cells 

 being remarkable for the form of the entrance, which is 

 narrowed and rounded as shown in the figure. In some cases 

 the neck is so very narrow in proportion to the size of the cell, 

 and the rim is so neatly turned over, that the observer is irre- 

 sistibly reminded of the neck of a glass bottle. The insect makes 

 quite a number of these nests, sometimes fastening them to 

 branches, as shown in the illustration, but as frequently fixing 

 them to beams of houses. It has a great fancy for the comers 

 of verandahs, and builds therein ■whole rows of cells, buzzing 

 lo.udly the while, and attracting attention by the noise which 

 it makes. 



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