Ixxiv 



FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



The two species of Pison, mentioned in my account of the Hymenoptera, published 

 in 1899, have now a third congener of quite recent introduction, it having first appeared 

 in 1903. All these frequently breed in or on the woodwork of houses, in cavities in 

 chairs or furniture, etc. 



The two Asiatic wasps, Polistes macaeiisis and liebraeus, of wide distribution, and 

 the American P. aurifer are also certainly importations by man, being quite unknown 

 in the earliest days of foreign settlement ; in fact of the two former species P. hebraetis 

 was of late introduction, not having occurred to Mr Blackburn, nor was it generally 

 spread over the islands 20 years ago. 



Several Bethylidae are more or less frequent household insects, being doubdess 

 parasitic on others, which attack grain and other produce, or burrow in woodwork. 

 Such are the species of Epyris and others undetermined. 



Of the ants, 1 think all those now existing may be considered as importations, 

 excepting a variable Ponera, chiefly found in the forests, and clearly intolerant of the 

 presence of most of the foreign forms. It is, however, quite probable that other endemic 

 ants have previously existed and become totally exterminated before collections of 

 insects were made. 



It is not necessary here to detail the minute species of the Chalcidoid and 

 Proctotrypoid series that are clearly introduced, but I will now turn to several 

 Hymenoptera that are not so clearly introductions by man. 



Of the bees we have Megachile diligens, a species found by Blackburn in Honolulu 

 more than thirty years ago and still occurring in gardens in the town. Now, however, 

 it is widely distributed over all the islands, but shows no noticeable variability, and, so 

 far as I have observed, forms its tubular leaf-cells always from plants of foreign origin. 

 It will almost certainly be found elsewhere. Clearly the Megachilidae are easily 

 imported in lumber or furniture, as since Blackburn's time M. palmariun and 

 M. schauinslandi (both of which commonly nest in houses or furniture, the latter not 

 using leaves, but filling the key-holes of the doors with resinous wax) have appeared, 

 and later still (in 1900) the black Lithurgiis albofiiiibriahts was established. 



In the Chalcididae, C. polynesialis is a doubtfully imported species, which still occurs 

 in gardens in Honolulu, but its presence is now masked by the swarms of C. obsairata, 

 introduced for economic purposes. It appears to show considerable variability. 

 Epitramis lacteipennis still occurs rarely in Honolulu, where its habits are not known. 

 Another Chalcidid is of late introduction, having appeared about 1900. 



The Evaniid, E. sericea, will almost certainly prove to be foreign ; it is bred from 

 the ootheca of foreign cockroaches. 



The Braconidae, excepting the Spathiine, Ecphylopsis nigra, are almost certainly 

 all foreign, though some were taken by Blackburn more than 30 years ago. The two 

 of these that seemed most likely to prove endemic were Ischiogomis palliaiits, which 

 so often attacks the endemic longicorns, and Microdus hawaiicola, but the former, 



