i«w'.] 13 



Of other Eymenoptera, I may mention Passalaecus mouilicoriiis,'jL)hm., Crcibro 

 lituratus, Panz., interruptus, De Geer, podagricus, V. d. Ij. , B,nA pubescens, Shuck. 

 The male of Eucera longicornis occurs every year, but for a long time I could not 

 get the female. In the spring of 1896, however, I was told there was a spot in an 

 orchard where some bees were flying over the ground in great numbers, and on 

 investigating the occurrence, found that some dozen square yards of ground near a 

 sheep trough were full of Eucera burrows ; there were a few Andrena burrows 

 mixed with the Eucera. The burrows were not repeated in 1897 or 1898, so far as 

 I could make out. Twice while collecting in this locality have I fancied that I was 

 capturing Odynerus basalis, Smith, but on each occasion it proved to be only one of 

 the ordinarily coloured species (probably spinipes), with the base of the abdomen 

 thickly covered with the yellow larvae of Meloe in such a manner as to entirely alter 

 the appearance of the insect. Is there any ground for supposing that the yellow and the 

 black larvEe of these beetles belong to different species of Meloe ? I know that the 

 yellow ones, which I have bred from the egg, are the larva; of proscarabceus, and would 

 suggest that the black are those of violaceus. I think it clear tJiat they are not the 

 larv£E of tlie same species in different stages, as has I believe been suggested. If they 

 are, the yellow must be the earlier form, as I have bred these from the egg, but 

 having taken the black larvae early in April, and of the smaller size, and the yellow 

 larvae as late as June in the same year; after the black larvae had disappeared, it is 

 most unlikely that the yellow can develop into the black My only objection to the 

 theory that they are different species is that I have never been able to satisfy myself 

 that proscarabceus and violaceus are really distinct as what I consider to be inter- 

 mediate forms occur ; can it be a case of dimorphism ? No other species of Meloe is 

 to be found at Dodington, Kent, where both the larval forms are at times common. — 

 A. J. Chitty, 27, Hereford Square, W. : October, 1898. 



Aculeate Symenoptera in IFarwickshire and the New Forest. — Being fortunate 

 enough to meet with Aculeates rather freely this season (1898) in Sutton Park, a 

 few remarks on the more important captures may prove interesting. Several species 

 were taken in considerable numbers by paying visits to their nests early in the 

 morning (7-30—8.30) and digging them up. 



Myrmosa melanocephala — sis females and one male, four of which were captured 

 on a fallen tree root during hot sunshine. Stigmns Solskyi— one in my garden, an 

 addition to the Sutton list. Passalcecus monilicornis — three males of this rare species. 

 Diodontus tri.itis — very common, burrowing in a wall. Psen pallipes — taken at 

 Sutton and Droitwich. Mimesa bicolor — over fifty, principally obtained by digging 

 before breakfast ; males flying outside nests as early as 8 o'clock. Crabro inter- 

 ruptus — thirty specimens of this grand insect were taken in a timber yard ; appa- 

 rently they provision their nests with any kind of Diptera, as I captured them with 

 the following : Polietes lardaria, Musca vomitoria, Spilogaster communis, Calliphora 

 azurea, Lucilia Casar, Syrphus albostriatus : I believe this is the first record from 

 Sutton Coldfield, but Mr. Martineau has taken it about six miles away. C. peltatus 

 and cribrarius — both dug up in the early morning. Sphecodes gibbus, affinis and 

 pilifrons— last named very common on Michaelmas daisy flowers. Halictus leucopus 

 (Droitwich), subfasciata, atricornis — males of latter very common on old tree root 

 in Sutton Park. Andrena coitana, humilis, labialis,helvola (one), angustior (one) — ■ 



