14 
cells after the others have left it, immediately follow 
their example‘. Specimens of such deserted nests 
are occasionally found in the later months; and this 
has contributed to keep alive the error that they were 
the work of some rare species, to which the names of 
Vespa Campanaria, from the bell shape of the early 
nests, and Vespa Holsatica have been given. 
Ray mentions “ a species of Vespa, which attaches 
“its nest to the beam of a building, three inches in 
“ diameter.” This I have no doubt was the nest of the 
Vespa Britannica, and was probably found about 
May, when they usually attain that size. 
Reaumur figures a nest * which he says contained 
two layers of cells, and bore a considerable resem- 
blance in size and shape to a half expanded Pro- 
vence rose, and Kirby and Spence! mention a nest, 
which they consider to be of the same species, ex- 
cept that it contained only one layer of cells, as oc- 
curring in a garden at East Dale. It is called la 
Guépe de Holstein, (Vespa Holsatica,) by Latreille ™ ; 
but the descriptions given by these various authors 
agree precisely with that of the Vespa Britannica, to 
which species it must be referred. I am further 
confirmed in this opinion, from the fact that Reau- 
mur’s nest contained two layers of cells, and Kirby 
and Spence’s only one. This shews, that however 
perfect the nest might appear externally, it was still 
in a state of progression, and that in both cases, had 
they been allowed to continue undisturbed, several 
more layers would have been added to each. 
i Reaumur, vol. vi. 
k Reaumur, vol. vi. pl. 19. fig. 1,2. The above figure is co- 
pied in Insect. Arch. p. 82. 
! Kirby and Spence, vol. i. p. 510. 
m Annales du Museum d’Hist. Nat. i. 289. 
