164 Insects. 



at the base of the first segment, the remaining segments have a basal 

 band, and a spot on each side, sometimes separate and sometimes 

 united, particularly to the second and third bands. Var. 3. has three 

 spots at the base of the first segment, all the others have a black band 

 at the base, dentate in the centre, with separated spots on each side. 



From the difficulty I have experienced in making out the descrip- 

 tions of previous authors, I have thought it necessary to give these 

 detailed characters ; in each instance mentioning the sex described, 

 which appears to me a matter of considerable importance, especially 

 in an insect whose varieties have been treated as species. On the 

 subject of these varieties great difference of opinion appears to exist, 

 and this seems attributable, not so much to variation in colour or ap- 

 pearance, great as this certainly is, as to occasional deviations fi*om 

 its usual economy. 



In some of the most celebrated London cabinets an insect is ticket- 

 ed Vespa vulgaris, which does not agree with the Linngean description 

 (although I shall prove it to be one of the varieties of that species), but 

 con-esponds with the Linngean description of V. germanica. I have 

 no doubt that some of the confusion at present existing is to be attri 

 buted to the occasional deviations from its usual or true habit, instan- 

 ces of which I shall relate. 



The Rev. E. Bigge, M.A., in a paper read to the Ashmolean Soci- 

 ety, February 27, 1835, containing some valuable observations on the 

 economy of wasps, has endeavoured to clear up the difficulty respect- 

 ing the ti*ue Linnaean V. vulgaris ; but by adhering strictly to the ha- 

 bit pointed out by Linnaeus, of fonning its nest on beams in sheds, under 

 the eaves of houses, or in low trees, has only made confusion greater. 

 Mr. Bigge says " the species named Vespa vulgaris by Linnaeus, is in 

 fact the Vespa britannica." Now the latter insect will not agree with 

 the Linnaean description, — "scutellum with four yellow spots, the ab- 

 domen yellow, the incisures with distinct black dots." V. britannica 

 has but two yellow dots on the scutellum, and no distinct black dots 

 between the incisures of the abdomen ; and Linnaeus would not have 

 overlooked the large rufous patches which interrupt, laterally, the 

 broad black band on the second segment of the abdomen of V. bri- 

 tannica. But I have no doubt Mr. Bigge overlooked the description, 

 and relied solely on the situations selected for its nest, in which cha- 

 racter I shall show it varies greatly, sometimes agreeing with, and at 

 others differing fi'om the Linnaean description. 



In order to satisfy myself as to which was the true V. vulgaris, I 

 took the whole of my collection of wasps to the Linnean Society's mu- 





