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XV. A Defcription of the Great Black Wafp, 
from Penfylvania, as communicated Jro?ji 
Mr . Tohn Bartram to Mr. Peter Collinfon. 
K R. S. 
Read Dec. 2 
> 749 - 
"S' 
OME Time ago. Tome Gentlemen 
rv ^ >r prcfent at a Meeting of the Royal 
Society *, were pleafcd to give a favourable Reception 
to an Account of a particular Species of fmall Black. 
Wafp, that fabricated its Neft with Clay, in it de- 
pofited an Egg, and then Ruffed it full of Spiders for 
the Maggot to feed on, Tranf. No. 476. 
This that I now have the Pleafure to lay before 
you, has fomething analogous in its Nature, but is 
a much larger Infefr, and rarely met with in the 
Province of ‘Penfylvania . The following Obferva- 
tions 1 have colle&cd from my ingenious Friend 
John Bartrams Letters. 
You will fee by the Specimen (Tab. IV. Fig. 20.), 
’the Size of this Great Black IVafp ; it fupplies itfelf 
with Food, by roving about the Meadows, catching 
Grafhoppcrs, and other Infedts; on thefc it feeds, and 
not on Fruits, as other Wafps do. 
But what is more remarkable, is the Method of 
making their Neds, and providing for their young. 
With great Pains and Induftry they fcratch an ho- 
rizontal Hole, near an Inch Diameter, and a Foot 
lonu, in the deep Side of a Bank of loamy Earth j 
then away the Wafp flies, and catches a large 
Green 
* April 25. 1745. 
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