378 Entomological Works. 



economical over structural details, as the groundwork of clas- 

 sification of these insects. A very succinct analysis of the 

 contents of this the first volume of his work will be sufficient 

 to indicate its value. 



The first 33 pages are occupied by a revision of the cha- 

 racters of the family groups instituted by Latreille. This is 

 succeeded by some general observations upon the senses of 

 insects, and a sketch of the distribution of insects into orders. 

 Nearly 30 pages are devoted to an exposition of the characters 

 obtainable from the structure of the veins or wing-bones of 

 the wings. The order is then characterised in its Linnaean 

 extent, and observations made as to the characters to be em- 

 ployed in the distribution of its contents into tribes and 

 families. Amongst these, it will be readily supposed that 

 those particular organs which influence the habits of the per- 

 fect insect are most particularly noticed. 



The Hymenoptera are divided into two suborders: 1st, 

 Ovitithers ; and 2d, Oviscapters ; corresponding with the 

 Latreillean divisions Aculeata and Terebrantia. 



The Ovitithers are divided into two divisions : 1st, those 

 which feed, in the larva state, upon saccharine vegetable fluids 

 (Ovitithers Phytiphages) ) and, 2d (Ovitithers Zoophages), 

 those which feed, in the larva state, upon other insects. The 

 Phytiphages are divided according to their nest-making or 

 parasitic habits; the nest-makers, into social and solitary 

 species ; and the social, into those which are perennial or only 

 annual. The consequence of the adoption of these principles, 

 as a primary means of distribution of the order, is apparent 

 in its results. The perennial, social, nest-making species 

 comprise the families of the ants (Heterogynides) and the 

 hive-bees (Apiarides). The annual social species comprise 

 the humble bees (Bombides) and the social wasps (Polistides : 

 why not Vespides ?). Thus the solitary and the parasitic 

 bees and wasps are entirely removed from the social species. 

 The four families above mentioned are treated upon at great 

 length in the volume before us : their history detailed, their 

 genera defined (including various new ones), and the species 

 described; the great collections of the Jardin des Plantes, 

 Baron Dejean, Serville, &c, have been laid under contribution ; 

 and the result is the first volume of a work which promises 

 to be of the highest interest. Dahlbom, in the second work 

 on our list, has given us another classification of the order, 

 founded both upon structure and economy. From a consider- 

 ation of the affinities and structural peculiarities of the various 

 groups, he considers that " Satis apparet insecta hymenoptera 

 in quatuor series, ut ita dicam priacipales, abire, scil. rapta- 



