Although the Miitillada bear considerable resemblance to 

 the Formkadce their economy is totally different, the latter 

 livino- in societies exliibiting males, females, and nenters, which 

 last only are apterons ; the former being solitary, having no 

 neuters, the males only being furnished with wings. It is un- 

 necessary to go any further into the differences of the two 

 families. The female MutillcE want the little eyes upon the 

 crown of the head, as well as the wings with which the males 

 are furnished ; and the eyes and thorax are very differently 

 formed. Jurine has justly observed " What is the object of 

 Nature in establishing such disparities, and where is the utility 

 of it ? These are problems that we cannot resolve, because of 

 our ignorance of the history of these insects, but which well 

 deserve the attention of naturalists." It is well known that they 

 inhabit sandy districts, and it is probable the females form 

 their nests and deposit their eggs in such situations, wliich 

 employment would render wings and ocelli of little use; whereas 

 the males, which may be less numerous than the other sex, 

 are supplied with wings to enable them to go in search of the 

 females, as is frequently the case amongst the Lepidoptera 

 and other orders. 



We are able to record at present only three species of this 

 beautiful genus as inhabitants of Britain : 1 . M. Eiiropcea Linn. ; 

 2. calva Fab.; 3. Ephippium Fab. The first is common in 

 sandy lanes and foot-paths in June, — it is figured in Donovan's 

 Brit. Ins. v. 6. p. 212.; the second, (in the cabinet of Mr. 

 Stephens,) is figured in Coquebert's Icon. Ins. tab. 16. f. 10. 

 Latreille and many other entomologists have long suspected 

 M. Ephippium and M. rujipes to be the sexes of the same 

 species, since we only know the males of the one, and the 

 females of the other : as such I have ventured to give them, 

 having found both insects in this country, — the female in a 

 gravel-pit, and the male flying over a sunny bank near 

 Shooter's-hill, Kent, the 15th June 1822. 



Brywn suhulatum (Awl-shaped Screw-moss) is figured in 

 the plate. 



