1920.] 185 



genus occurring, nor any Eiyeolns. Alfkeo gives dariesanna and snecinctm as 

 hosts of E. cruciger. Shuckard remarks that he f ouud the E^jeolus numerously 

 at a colony oi daviesanus at Bexley, Kent, in the spring months, which must 

 be a very unusual time of appearance. Smith further states that " E. vavieyatub" 

 is also certainly parasitic on M^yachile argentata, but this must be an error of 

 observation. The large colonies of this Megachile that occur at Dawlish have 

 occasional burrows of Colletes amongst them, so that such an error is easilj^ 

 made. Epeolus variegatMs L, {=j)roduct-iis Th.) is the parasite of C.fodieiis K. 

 and of C. jmistigma Th., two closely allied species, as has been proved on many 

 occasions. Dr. Arnold tookf odiens and variegatus in company on the Wallasey 

 sandhills at a later date than the C. mar(finatus and E. cruciger referred to 

 above. Colletes dariesanus is so different structurally from the other species 

 above mentioned as hosts of E^x'olus^ that I should be grateful to any collector, 

 who would allow me to examine a series of the parasite taken from a pure 

 colony of this Colletes. One might expect that the specimens would present 

 some difference from the ordinary forms. In Devonshire I have been unable 

 to obtain any evidence that C. daciesauus is ever attacked by Epeolus, although 

 the former is very abundant in the county. — R, C. L. Perkins, 4 Thurlestoue 

 Eoad, Newton Abbot : July 2'lud, 19:20. 



Nesting-habits of Sapgga K>-pu}u:tata Fab. — For some years past tlie little 

 bee, Osmia cmrules'^ens, has nested in four nail-holes in a wooden plug in the 

 side of my house which I have left for the purpose, and last spiiug I watched 

 the bee at work until she finished and sealed up the holes. Recently I 

 noticed the sealing- was broken, and removed the plug for examination. Tliere 

 were five full cocoons in the plug, and on breaking these open four were found 

 to contain the Sapyya, the fifth being tenanted by a male of the bee. On 

 Saturday last, 29th iust., I examined a dead stump of hawtliona, and found the 

 holes made by a beetle, probably Priobium castaneuvi., tenanted by a bee, 

 probably Hylaeics cominuuis, and one of these cells was occupied by the Sapyga. 

 In both cases the cells are very much smaller than the parasite, but in the 

 case of the Osmia the Supyga appeared to be easily accommodated, whilst in 

 the case of the Hylaeus, her abdomen protruded considerably from the end of 

 the bee's cell. Not much seems to have been written in this country on the 

 habits of this wasp, though it is well known to be a parasite, and I thoiefcn-e 

 thought the above might be worth recording. — XL M. Hallett, 64 AVest- 

 bourne Road, Penartli : May 3\st, 1920. 



" A MoNoecAPn of the J^kitish Orthopteha." By William John 

 Lucas, R.A., F.E.S. London : The Ray Society, 1920. 



The volume now under notice forms a valuable addition to the important 

 series of works on Natural History which for many years past have appeared 

 under the auspices of the Ray Society, and the name of the author is a 

 guarantee of the soundness and acciu-acy with which the work has beim 

 carried out. A fully illustrated book on our British Orthoptera has long 



R 



