21 
No. 6. Aug. 8. Ground wasps. 
1st layer. Neuters with one or two males. 
2d do. Neuters only. 
3d do. Neuters and males. 
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, do. Neuters only. 
8th do. Females only. 
Similar results were obtained from the examina- 
tion of a great many other nests. I found no in- 
stance of a male grub in the female cells, which Reau- 
mur states to be constantly the case, and am unable 
to offer any explanation of the disagreement between 
his observations, and those of Mr. Denison and my- 
self. It is possible that Reaumur’s descriptions were 
not founded on the inspection of a great number of 
nests, as he usually refers to one only which he had 
succeeded in transferring to his own house. Had he 
examined a greater quantity, and at different times 
in the summer, he could not have failed to observe 
the male grubs mixed indiscriminately amongst the 
neuters. At the same time I must own that further 
investigation may be expected to shew, that males 
are sometimes found in the female cells; as I cannot 
think that so acute an observer as Reaumur could 
have been mistaken, when he so positively asserts 
that fact on his own authority. 
The beautiful arrangement by which the layers in 
the nest are attached to each other, so as to allow room 
for the wasps to walk between them, will be easily 
understood by examining any of the specimens in the 
Museum. Inthe ground nests, the supports or braces 
are round, like small columns, and dispersed at irre- 
gular distances. The upper end is spread along the 
edges of three cells, so as to divide the pressure, and 
yet allow room for the grubs to work their way out, 
