320 INSECT LIFE 



narrowed towards the radial ; head — black, with silvery down 

 on the face ; antennae — black ; thorax — black, with transverse 

 stripes on its three segments, darker on prothorax and meso- 

 thorax. Two marks on the sides and one behind either side 

 of the metathorax, covered with silvery down ; abdomen bare, 

 shining. First segment — black ; second — red in the part 

 narrowing to the petiole and in the widened part ; third seg- 

 ment all red ; the rest of a beautiful metallic blue. Legs — 

 black, with silvery down on the coxae ; wings slightly reddish. 

 Builds in October, and lays up two smallish caterpillars in each 

 cell. Nearly related to A. holosericea, having the same shape, 

 but differing markedly in the colour of the legs, which are all 

 black, by the much less downy head and thorax, and by the 

 transverse stripes on the. three segments of the thorax. 



I wish these three Hymenoptera to bear the name of my 

 son Jules, to whom I dedicate them. 



Dear child ! snatched so early from thy passionate love of 

 flowers and insects ! Thou wert my fellow-worker ; nothing 

 escaped thy clear-sighted glance ; it was for thee that I was to 

 write this book — for thee, to whom its recital gave such delight, 

 and thou wert one day to have continued it. Alas ! thou didst 

 leave us for a better home, having heard but the first few lines 

 of the book. But at least let thy name appear in it — borne by 

 some of these industrious and beauteous Hymenoptera so dear 

 to thee ! 



J. H. F. 



Orange, yd April 1879. 



THE END 



Printed by R. & R. Clark, Limited, Edinburgh, 



