288 MODF.T.N SYSTEM. 



ill the spring when the willows are in bloom. Tlie males are most 



abundant hi the autumn. 

 Sp. 1. Bo?)i. tcrrestris. 



Bombus terrestris. Fabr., Latr., Leach. Apis terrestris. Linn. 

 Inhabits Europe. 



** Hinder tibice without spurs or heels. Superior wings with two or 

 three subma?-ginal cells, the last oblique or linear. 



Genus 488. APIS of authors. 

 Hinder tarsi with their first joint long: ."!?/j9f no?' rtwgs with three sub- 

 marginal cells complete, the last oblique and linear. 

 Sp. 1. Apis mellifica (hive bee). 

 Apis mcllitica o/"a«^/iors. 

 Inliabits Europe. 



Order XIV. RHIPIPTERA. Xa^r., If ac//. 



Order Strepsiptera. Kirby. 



Order Hymenoptera. Rossi. 



" Xenos, the genus serving as the type of this singular order of in- 

 sects, was discovered by Hos&i, who referred it without hesitation to 

 die Hymenoptera, and placed it next to Ichneumon. Another ge- 

 nus of the same order was foimd by Kirby, and was described in his 

 celebrated Monographia Atpuni Anglice under the name of Stylops, 

 with expressions of doubt as to its systematic situation. Latreille 

 soon after received from De Brebisson a species of Stylops, and at 

 tlie end of his Genera Inscctoruni ct Crustaceorum, observes, that it 

 seems to disturb our entomological systems, not being referable to 

 any of the established orders. Professor Peck detected a new spe- 

 cies of this group in America, and communicated it to Kirby, who 

 considered it to constitute with his Stylops a peculiar order of in- 

 sects, on which he gave a dissertation to the Linnean Society of Lon- 

 don, whioli was published in the eleventh volume of their Transac- 

 tions. I adopted the characters that were laid down by this learned 

 entomologist, as well as the name Strepsiptera, by which it was de- 

 signated. Since then Latreille has convinced me that the supposed 

 elytra are but moveable processes attached to the anterior part of 

 the thorax ; whereas true elytra arise from the second segment of 

 the trvmk, and always more or less cover the wings, which these 

 parts do not touch. Anxious to become acquainted with all the 

 characters of the order, I commenced an examination of the mouth, 

 and was soon convmced that the parts of it were far from being ob- 

 solete ; but fearing to undertake the dissection, I submitted the spe- 

 cimen to the inspection of Savigny, from whose exact and almost 

 infallible hand and eye I felt confident of gaining the desired infor- 



