188 [Jnnuary, 



arises from rubbing a shining surface on the third abdominal segment beneath the 

 inner border of the second (Annal. de la Soc. Ent. de France, 1837, p. 66), and in this 

 statement he is corroborated by N. Westring, who observed this shining surface, and 

 says, it resembles a little, dark, flat shield, which, beneath a lens, is seen to bo 

 transversely and finely rugose (Kroyer's Naturhist. Tids., i, 57, 1844,-45). Darwin, 

 on the other hand, surmises the sound may arise from the friction of the head, 

 which, whore it articulates on the projecting thoracic collar, is marked like the surface 

 of the third and preceding abdominal segments, with very fine concentric ridgea 

 (Descent of Man, i, chap, x, p. 366). 



Sounds produced by other Hymenoptera which exhibit no corresponding ex- 

 terior rhythmical motion, are markedly accompanied by internal vibration of the 

 thoracic muscles, spreading, but not invariably, to the organs of flight. This class 

 of notes, from the physiological experiments hitherto instituted, of clogging with 

 honey, clijiping, or removing the wings, stopping the spiracles, or plunging the subject 

 beneath water, manifestly originates in the vibration of air at the cup-shaped lips of 

 the enlarged metathoracic openings ; and on this point the experiments of John 

 Hunter, with the hive-bee {Apis mellifica), seem very conclusive (Philosoph. Trans, 

 v. 82, p. 182, 1792) : see also Landois (Ton- und Stimmap. der Insecten, p. 59). Thus 

 is constituted a vocal music, similar to that existing in the Diptera, although the 

 little rows of membranous plates on the internal edges of the before-mentioned 

 spiracles, so obvious in the Syrphidce and Muscides, do not appear present to im- 

 plicate the tones. 



The production of such sounds, distinguished from the ordinary buzz, may be 

 regarded as expressing the low type of emotion peculiar to Insecta. It is well known 

 that many species of Aculeata, and more especially of the genus Bomhus, when 

 held in the hand, have the faculty of producing a whining note, betraying perception 

 of fear; and some of this genus behave thus when free and engaged in maternal 

 labours, at which time the sound seems to spring from, and indicate, the nervous 

 pleasui'e experienced in industry. Here also might be instanced the hum emitted 

 by gravid females of the species of sand-wasp (Sphex) when burrowing ; and in 

 Argyleshire I have repeatedly observed two distinct kinds of humble-bee, producing a 

 similar sharp, impatient note, when, assaying the flowers of roses, brambles, or fox- 

 glove, they settled on an unpilfered or more palatable nectary. The first bee I observed 

 producing this intermitting sound, was a small individual with red-tipped abdomen 

 and yellow head and prothorax {Bombus lapponieus) ; the other was -BootSjw ZwcorMMi 

 (worker) ;* both species kindly determined by Mr. F. Smith. — A. H. SwiXTON, 

 Calais : November 2nd, 1877. 



Entomological Society of London : ^th November, 1877. — PEorESsoR J. O. 

 Westwood, M.A., F.L.S., President, in the Chair. 



* Jlr. Smitli writes : — " On the continent manj' would call this bee Bomhue terrestrit, but they 

 have no male for that insect, as they do not unite the true male, B. iucorum, to it. Both of the 

 types of Linneus' .species are in the Linnean cabmet, and 1 have taken the sexes in coiiu, and 

 also odt of their nests repeatedly." — Eds. • 



