13G [June, 



The British specimens agree sufficiently well with this descrip- 

 tion, the only important difference being in the colour of the thorax, 

 which is evidently variable, as shown by the difference in this respect 

 between the Irish and English examples. It has been suggested by 

 Crotch, Fowler and others that the Irish insect is a " concolorous " 

 form of L. melanopa, Linn. ; but this is certainly not the case, as it 

 differs from that species in its less elongate shape (this being particu- 

 larly noticeable when a long series of both sexes is examined), and in 

 having the thorax distinctly wider behind the constriction, and the 

 femora less strongly clavate. The Irish examples before me show no 

 sign of variation ; they are from three sources — from Waterford 

 (Power), Queenstown {J. J. Walker), and one sent me many years 

 ago by the late R. llislop, without precise locality. 



Of the form with the metallic-green thorax I have seen three 

 specimens : — one found by Mr. W. H. Beimett near Hastings ; one 

 found by Mr. Donisthorpe at Eye ; and one, without locality, in Mr. 

 Waterhouse's collection. There is also a single very old discoloured 

 example of the same species in the Stephensian collection. 



I am indebted to Herr E. Reitter for a specimen of L. JErichsoni, 

 Suffr., and to Prof. Gr. Thomson for an example of his L. Erichsoni, 

 for comparison. The latter was re-named L. septenfrio7iis by Weise, 

 and treated as a distinct species. 



L. septentrio7iis is recorded by Weise from Miiggelsee, near Berlin 

 (whence I have seen two examples), and Southern and Central 

 Sweden {Tliomson) ; it lives on a species of Nasturtmm. L. Erichsoni, 

 Suffr., is very widely distributed in Northern and Central Europe, 

 and also occurs in the Caucasus. 



Horsell, Woking : 



May nth, 1897. 



HINTS ON COLLECTING ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA. 



BY EDWARD SAUNDERS, P. L. S. 



{Continued from page 84). 



As Midsummer approaches the best time for collecting Aculeates 

 begins ; it lasts till about the middle of August, and July is perhaps 

 the best month of the whole year. Almost any locality now will 

 produce something, so long as the sun shines, but localities should be 

 chosen with care. It is probably a wise rule to consider what ai'e the 

 special features of the district to be collected over, and to collect as 

 much as possible with reference to these. For instance, the main 

 features of the part of Surrey where Woking is situated are its 



