i8i)i.] 79 



meiioptera. The only rarity captured from 188S to 1890 was a ? of Stenamma 

 Westwoodii at Labrador Shaldon. The only feature of sand-wasp life found was 

 one quite refreshing little colony of MelUnus arvensix in a small sandpit on Ilaldon 

 Heath, Teignmouth. — Or. A. James Rothnet, 15, Versailles Road, Anerley : 

 January 24th, 1891. 



Aculeate Hymenoptera in Wiltshire in 1890. — The season of 1890 seems to 

 have been a very poor one generally for the Aculeala. Many of the very commonest 

 species were either totally absent or appeared only in very limited numbers ; on the 

 other hand, a few species, as usual, appeared in unprecedented abundance. 



The most striking feature of the season, however, was the early appearance of 

 certain Andrenidce, (not the earliest spring species, but those which normally come 

 out from the middle to the end of May. Andrena Wilkella, Kirb., A. angustior, 

 Kirb., and A. nana, Xirb., were all to be found in both sexes at the end of April, 

 and it was curious to notice these species flying about with equally fresh specimens 

 of either sex of the very early Andrence : Qwynana, Kirb , minutula, Kirb., Trim- 

 merana, Kirb., &c. 



Halicti were exceedingly scarce, and it will probably take several seasons to 

 bring (hem to their former abundance, as their numbers have steadily decreased 

 during the past three seasons. Previously to 1887 there was a steady increase in 

 their numbers ; in that year they literally swarmed ; the same remarks apply to 

 Sphecodes, both as to the increase and decrease of their numbers. The fohowing 

 species are worthy of mention, either for their rarity, or for their unusual scarcity 

 or abundance during the past season. 



Andrena lapponica, Zett. — I was fortunate in taking a few specimens of this 

 scarce or overlooked species on March 15th. One only was a c? , this sex being 

 evidently already past : it must be a very early species. These specimens were 

 taken from a few burrows in a hard sandy path. A. angustior, Kirb. — Male speci- 

 mens generally distributed in North Wilts and adjoining parts of Gloucestershire. 

 The females are much scarcer. It is altogether a very unobtrusive species, and in 

 all probability common generally. A good plan to catch this and other species, 

 which fly up and down a hedge bank without settling, is to place on the ground 

 small pieces of paper or light coloured stones : the bees readily alight on these for 

 the purpose of sunning themselves. A. Wilkella, Kirb., wee E. Saund. (Synopsis). — 

 Exceedingly abundant from the end of April to June. The males of this species 

 were to be seen for a fortnight in May flying round the foliage of an isolated sunny 

 bush in such myriads as to resemble a vast swarm of hive bees about to settle. The 

 AndrenidcB are said to be characterized by their silent flight, but a deep 1mm could 

 be heard at a considerable distance from the bush. Elsewhere the species was in 

 thousands flying up and down the hedge-rows. In my notes on this and the allied 

 species in this Magazine (this species I there called xanthura), I expressed doubts 

 as to,whetherj.stylopized specimens of this species existed. I have now taken a 

 number so affected, and think that most, if not all, of the specimens called con- 

 vexiuscula belong to this species rather than to Afzeliella, but the matter requires 

 further investigation. 



Nomada bifida, Thoms. — Both sexes taken, and identically coloured specimens 

 of ruficornis amongst them. N. ochrostoma, Kirb. — Very abundant. I easily 

 captured fifty specimens in an hour or two ; several times three or four specimens 



G 2 



