Part 38

Réaumur, vol. vi. bottom of page 182; Hist. of Selb. ii. 228; and Introd. to Entomol. i. 504, 5th edition.

In the Mag. of Nat. Hist. 1839, p. 458, Mr. Shuckard gives an account of the nest of a wasp, which he regards as Vespa Britannica,--remarkable for the material of which it was constructed, and for the locality in which it was found. This nest, which was exhibited at a meeting of the Entomological Society, was found near Croydon, built in a sparrow's nest, and attached to the lining feathers. "The smallness of the nest," says Mr. Shuckard, "and also of the tier of cells, as well as the peculiar material of which it appeared composed, led to a discussion, the tendency of which seemed to support the opinion that it was most probably the nest of a Polistes, a social-wasp not yet found in this country, but if not of Polistes, certainly not yet determined or known." The nest was ovate, about an inch and a half long, with a tier of cells internally, originating from a common pedicle. It appeared to be constructed "of the agglutinated particles of a soft white wood, probably willow, very imperfectly triturated;" whence it had externally a rough granulated appearance. It was sprinkled with black specks, arising perhaps from the intermixture of more decayed portions of the wood; and was of a very fragile texture. "The nature of the material, and its unfinished execution, as well as the situation in which it was found, appear to me to be its own peculiarities, and I must necessarily consider it merely an accidental variation in material and locality from the usual nests of the Vespa Britannica of Leach."

Mémoires sur les Insectes, tom. vi., mem. vii. See also Bonnet vol. ix.

It is right to remark that Huish and others have suggested that the grubs thus royalized may originally be misplaced queens; yet this admission is not necessary, since Madlle. Jurine has proved, by dissection, the workers to be imperfect females.

Huber on Bees, p. 338.

Melisselogia, or Female Monarchy, 8vo., Lond. 1744.

De la Pluche, Spectacle de la Nature, vol. i.

Philosophical Trans. for 1792, p. 143.

Huber on Bees.

American Quarterly Review for June, 1828, p. 382.

Latreille, Mém. Acad. des Sciences, 1821.

Huber on Bees, p. 325.

From two Greek words [Greek: pro polis] meaning before the city, as the substance is principally applied to the projecting parts of the hive.

Phil. Trans. for 1807, p. 242.

Schirach, Hist. des Abeilles, p. 241.

Kirby and Spence observed bees very busy in collecting propolis from the tacamahaca-tree (Populus balsamifera).--Introd., ii. 186.

Huber on Bees, p. 408.

Philosophical Trans. for 1807, p. 242.

Spectacle de la Nature, tome i.

Huber on Bees, p. 358.

Réaumur, vol. v., p. 380.

Huber on Bees, p. 368.

Huber on Bees, p. 220.

Memoirs of the Wernerian Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. ii. p. 260.

Bevan on Bees, p. 326.

Huber on Bees, p. 416.

Huber on Bees, p. 391.

From two Greek words, signifying pitch and wax.