MB. NEWMAN ON A SUPPOSED SPECIES OF PELOP^US. 39 



Fig.h. Tliemaraampla', 6 «, head sideways ; 56, ditto in front; 5 c, antenna; 

 K>d, base of wing. 



Fig. 6. Valonia compUcata ; Ga, head sideways; 6b, ditto in front; 6c, an- 

 tenna. 



PlATE II. 

 Fig. 1. SopJdra vemista ; la, head sideways ; 16, ditto in front ; Ic, antenna. 

 Fig. 2. Xiria antica ; 2 a, head sideways ; 26, ditto in front ; 2 c, antenna. 

 Fig. 3. Rioxa lanceolata ; 3 a, head sideways ; 36, ditto in front ; 3 c, antenna. 

 Fig. 4. Strumeta conformis; 4 a, head sideways ; 46, ditto m front. 

 Fig. 5. Texara compressa; 5a, head sideways; 56, ditto in front; 5c, an- 

 tenna. 

 Fig. 6. Diopsis ^-guttata. 

 Fig. 7. Diopsis ^-guttata. 



Note on a supposed species of Pelopceus. By Edwabd Newman, 

 Esq., F.L.S. 



[Read January 15th, 1856.] 



In No. 59 of the "Proceedings" of our Society is a letter 

 addressed to oux Secretary on the economy of a certain Hymeno- 

 pterous insect as observed by the writer when at Bombay : seve- 

 ral of the explanations in this letter require correction, although 

 evidently wi'itten in good faith. The description of the insect 

 and its nest is fully sufiicient to identify the tribe and even genus : 

 it is one of the Vespina, and doubtless of the genus PelopcEus : 

 the name of "Mason-bee" is therefore assigned to it in error, 

 because there is a tribe of Mason-beas possessing a most wonderful 

 and interesting economy, and with that tribe the present insect 

 has nothing whatever to do. 



In the second place, the male is represented as the builder of 

 the nest, — a statement so opposed to aU we know of the economy 

 of Rymenoptera, that it may safely be pronounced erroneous ; the 

 building insect was certainly not a male, and as certainly a female 

 or neuter. 



In the thii-d place, the shining green insect, described as the 

 female, was unquestionably a parasite, probably of the genua 

 Chrysis : its presence in the nest of the wasp was as an insidious 

 enemy, not as the legitimate partner and participator in domestic 



