I902. CuTHBERT. — Some Problems of Irish Ento7nology. 107 



messmates of the well-known and locally abundant Wood 

 Ant, For7nica rufa, have not yet been taken in Ireland. 



Further detailed observations are needed to establish some 

 facts concerning other inquiline Hymenoptera. such as 

 whether a particular species by preference associates with one 

 or with various hosts. Among the Pompilidcs, Ceropales 

 mamlata is undoubtedly inquiline upon Pompilus plumbeus^ 

 and probably other Pompili. It is common in many parts of 

 Ireland, inland as well as maritime. Certain species of 

 Nomada appear to be always attached to certain Andrerice, 

 but the majority seem rather promiscuous in their preferences. 

 N. Jerrugi7iata is stated by Smith and others to be a messmate 

 of Andrena humilis. I have taken the former in County 

 Dublin ; the latter is not y^X. recorded as Irish. We know 

 that most of the NomadcB associate with more than one 

 Andre7ia host, and Jerruginata is probably not confined to 

 Mmiilis alone. 



The very peculiar and pretty solitary bee Epeohis^ of which 

 one species, E. productus, is fairly common throughout 

 England, is a messmate of Colleies succinda, C picistigmay 

 and C daviesana. The latter bees are common enough in 

 Ireland, but an Irish naturalist has yet to discover Epeohis. 



I would like also to direct our entomologists' attention to 

 the abundant genus Sphecodes, of which there are six species 

 on our list, and which, according to Mr. Edward Saunders, 

 is probably inquiline either upon certain genera of Haiidus or 

 Andrena^ or both. 



The working out of life-histories is a branch of science well 

 worth the attention of any naturalist with the necessary 

 leisure. The Irish Diptera, until the recent publication in this 

 magazine of Col. Yerbury's Kerry list, had been practically 

 neglected since Haliday's time. But Haliday's work on this 

 order was very thorough, and it is a pity that the results of his 

 labours, scattered through many scientific periodicals, reviews, 

 and transactions, have never been edited in a form useful and 

 accessible to present-day students. 



The investigation of the habits and history of those Diptera 

 with aquatic larvae is of much interest in view of the 

 connection between certain of the mosquito family and the 

 origin of malaria, and I would refer every student 



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