158 [July, 



Early appearance of Formica rufa. — Does Mr. Bigncll intenrl to convey that 

 April 22nd is an early date for the emergence of the winged females of this species 

 {vide ante p. 141) ? If so, he is undoubtedly correct ; but if, on the other hand (as 

 the heading would show), he considers it early for the whole species, he is at least a 

 month too late. I have watched a very strong colony of this most interesting 

 species for the last five years, and can testify that the date of emergence of the 5 a 

 (as much farther north as is Ipswich) is never later than the end of March : they 

 were fetching and carrying in full force on March 23rd, 1895. The winged S s and 

 ? 8 are generally to be met with from the middle to the end of May, but are rarely 

 seen during the heat of the day, unless the nest be disturbed. Perhaps Mr. Saunders 

 can tell us why this species periodically deserts its nests in the late autumn and is 

 found to possess a brand new one, with all parts complete, some twenty yards or so 

 distant the next spring ? Possibly because they want more " elbow room." — Claude 

 MoELET, Everton House, Ipswich : June, 1897. 



[Forel, in his " Fourmis Suisses," mentions that Formica rufa occasionally moves 

 away from its old nest and constructs another, but he does not mention any periodical 

 movement of this sort. It would be very interesting to know whether these move- 

 ments are yearly, and if so, for how many years they have been observed. I think 

 Mr. Bignell in his note probably only alluded to the time of appearance of the 

 female ; the workers, as Mr. Morley rightly remarks, are much earlier in appearing. 

 — E. S.]. 



An assemblage of parasitic Hymenoptera in Devonshire. — On May 5th I was 

 wandering through an oak coppice, Bickleigh Woods ; the buds on the oaks were 

 bursting and the rudimentary leaves protruding, but not enough to give shelter to any 

 flies. I, however, came to a small beech, about six feet high in full leaf, the number 

 of leaves I should say did not exceed eighty ; to my astonishment it was literally 

 covered with ichneumons ; I boxed about eighty, some of the captures are certainly 

 worth recording. I visited the spot three days after, and still the little tree 

 attracted some dozens under the shelter of its leaves, the only leaf shelter to be 

 obtained for a considerable distance from the cold winds and heavy rainy clouds 

 which threatened to deluge the earth at any moment. 



Eumesius albitarsus, Curt. — I believe this apparently rare species has not been 

 taken in England since Curtis's time ; he says, " This remarkable genus is so ex- 

 ceedingly rare that only three specimens of the first species {crassicornis, Grav.) 

 have been discovered, and but one each of the others {serricorm's, Hal., and albi- 

 tarsus, Curt.), and the females are unknown," plate 660, 1837. J. Giraud, however, 

 appears to have taken two specimens (male and female) in Austria, 1857, and 

 described both. 



On May 5th I obtained three males, on the 8th four males and four females, 

 and on the 11th six of each sex, making a total of twenty-three. A change in the 

 weather took place, the bright suimy days following expanded the oak leaves and 

 plenty of shelter was soon at hand. 



For the benefit of those interested I will mention the difference between tlie 

 sexes, which is very little : — the antcnnte in the female are compressed as in the 

 male, but only slightly dilated ; the yellow markings on head and thorax and the 



