Qiieries aUd Answers, 



93 



either In the press, or lately published ; if so, I should be glad to see it 

 reviewed. If what I have heard was a mistake, be so good as to inform me 

 what the latest edition is, and whether the figures are well done. — An 

 Observer of Nature. Sept. 6. 1830. Those who are interested may answer 

 this query. — Cond. 



A Ball containing an Insect, — Sir, Walking in the fields the other day, 

 I discovered a ball hanging from a dried plant, about the size of a hazel 

 nut, which at first sight presented the appearance of a piece of wool, 

 rolled tightly up, but upon opening it I found it full of small pentagonal 

 cells, formed of a substance which resembled tissue paper. Some of the 

 cells were empty ; others contained a brown dust-like substance, evidently 

 decayed matter ; and in one of them I found nearly the entire body of an 

 insect, so minute that I could not distinguish its parts with the naked eye : 

 however, upon examining it with a glass, it presented to me the appearance 

 of a species of wasp or bee, but with antennae the length of the entire 

 body. The annexed sketch {fig. 14.) will give you a farther idea of what 



14 



a. Insect magnified. 



b. Natural size. 



c. The ball as discovered. 



d. Section showing the cells 



I have imperfectly described ; and if you or one of your correspondents 

 will favour me with the name and habits of this insect mummy, with which 

 I am totally unacquainted, it will gratify, yours, &c. — H. Gt. Missenden, 

 Sept. 30. 1830. 



A Caterpillar infesting the Sycamore Tree. — Sir, Towards the latter end 

 of last month I found, under a sycamore tree here (Greenwich), a cater- 

 pillar about an inch long, very much resembling that of the common tusr 

 sock moth. It has one orange tuft of long fine hair on each side of the 

 back, near the head, and three more of the same colour on each side of the 

 back, near the middle of the body ; the remainder of the tufts are of a gam- 

 bouge colour ; all along the back, between the two rows of tufts, is a row 

 of oval white spots, surrounded with black, which is the ground colour of 

 the whole body. The head is shining black, with an orange triangle of the 

 same bright appearance above the mouth ; the insect feeds upon the syca-r 

 more. Can you or any of your numerous correspondents inform me whether 

 jt is the larva of the sycamore tussock moth (iVoctua aceris) ; and if it is, 

 whether it is esteemed a rare insect by collectors ? An answer would 

 greatly oblige, yours, &c. — A. E. Greemvichy Sept. 6. 1830. 



A Species of Bee which perforates the Corolla of the Bean in search of Ho- 

 ney. — In the month of July last I observed in my garden, on a great 

 number of the corollae of the bean ( Ficia i^aba), on the superior part, within 

 about two lines from the calyx, a small dark spot, which, on closer inspection, 

 I found to be a perforation ; waiting a short time, I saw a bee alight on the 

 flower and pass its proboscis into the hole, and so on, from flower to flower. 

 The little fellow found the orifice with the utmost adroitness. I afterwards 

 saw him fix himself upon an unperforated blossom, and perform the ope- 

 ration of boring it in an instant. The corolla of the flower being deep, and 

 the proboscis of the little animal comparatively short, he is obliged to re- 



