386 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



V. rufa, Linn. — Well distributed both in Lancashire 

 and Cheshire, though this timid and small 

 colonied species is never common. 

 V. sylvestris, Scop. — holsatica, FaJb.— Not infrequent all 

 over the district. Specially noted at West Kirby 

 and Eastham, where a variety without dot on 

 clypeus ; at Chester, R.N. and E.C.T. ; at Ram- 

 hill, H.H.H., and around Bolton, C. E. Stott. 

 Males once observed " assembling " in numbers 

 to the female, after the habit of certain 

 Lepidoptera, 

 V. norvegica, Fab. — hrittanica, Leach. — Widely distri- 

 buted in district, especially where fir trees occur, 

 and perhaps, after vulgaris and germanica, our 

 most abundant wasp in Cheshire. Particularly 

 noted at Stourton, Oxton, Bidston, and near 

 Wallasey and West Kirby: all round Chester, 

 R.N. and E.C.T., and Delamere, B.C. and E.C.T. 

 Although Mr. Newstead has examined many 

 nests of this species, he has not found any insects 

 frequenting them. 

 Pseudo-vespa, Schmeid. — A genus very nearly related 

 to the last, but differing in life history. The one 

 British species, P. austriaca, Pauz., lives as an 

 inquiline in the nests of V. rufa. It has no 

 worker, like the social wasps, only male and 

 female. The latter lays her eggs, after the 

 manner of a cuckoo, in the nest of her host, and 

 the grubs feed or are fed there at the expense of 

 the rightful inmates of the colony. P. austriaca 

 has not yet been recorded from our district, but 

 Mr. Newstead and the writer have both taken 

 it several times at different localities in North 

 Wales, so it will probably turn up. It is easily 



