Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/198

170 agree with Dr. Leach's insect. I compared them carefully, and found the head in V. media, viewed in front, to be rounder, and the clypeus more square, the abdomen also wanted the rufous spots on the second segment.

Female.—Length 8 lines. Head black; scape yellow in front, a large crown- shaped spot rising from the base of the antennae; the clypeus with three minute black dots; a streak close to the inner margin of the eyes, and another short one behind, yellow; the lower portion of the cheeks down to the mandibles clothed with silvery hairs; the mandibles yellow, their inner margin dark ferruginous.

Northern wasp (Vespa borealis), female.

Thorax: the tegulæ, a line running from them to the collar, a spot under the wings, and two spots on the scutellum, yellow; the legs yellow, the anterior and intermediate tibiae have a black streak behind, the apical joints of the tarsi ferruginous. The abdomen has on the first segment a triangular spot in the centre, and an oblong streak on each side, black, a black band at the base of the remaining segments; the second with an united triangular spot in the centre, and a short black streak on each side; a short black streak on each side of the remaining segments; beneath, the first, and a large square patch in the centre of the base of the second, black, a distinct black dot on each side on the other segments.

This insect resembles V. rufa in its general aspect, but the legs are longer and stouter, particularly the posterior pair, and the underside of the scape of the antennae is yellow. I found it in the fir-woods in Yorkshire, where I have seen wasps' nests suspended from the trees; and I have no doubt this species builds there, as the Rev. F.W. Hope has received it from Mr. Selby (from the north of Scotland), who gives that account of its habits.

I possess a neuter wasp which I took at the same time and place as the females, but have no other evidence of their being the same species. It might prove to be an extreme variety of V. britannica, but it has four spots on the scutellum, and a triangular spot at the base of the second segment, instead of the square patch. Mr. Westwood also received two neuters from J. Hogg, Esq., one of which he presented to me, and it corresponds exactly with mine. I shall describe it, leaving it for future investigation to prove my supposition correct or otherwise.