24 [Jiinuarv. 



examine for fluove8cence the Nairobi forms of Papilio dardanus that had been 

 shown by Canon St. A. Rogers at the hist meeting. Mr. H. Donisthorpe 

 exhibited specimens of the Chalcid Spalanr/ia eri/thi-omera, together with its 

 Dipterous host, and tlie ant Acanthoniyops fulii/inosiis, in the nest of which 

 these insects live. Dr. Neave read a translation from tlie German of an 

 amusing skit on modern systems of Zoological Nomenclature.— S. A. Neavk, 

 Hon. Secretary. 



[/ HAL ICTUS TVMULOBUM L. AND FLAVIPE8 F. AND SOME 



ALLIED SPECIES. 



BY R. C. L. PERKINS, M.A., D.SC, F.B.S. 



Neither F. Smith nor Edward Saunders recognised the distinctness 

 of a. fumulortrm from S. favipes, both of wliicli occm" in this country, 

 so that an additional species can be added to onr list. The former in 

 the first edition of his " Catalogue" called the British species Jlavipes, 

 but in the later one it is given as tumnJorum, with fiavipes as a 

 synonym. Kirby kept the two apart, describing the British specimens 

 as flavipes and considering tumuloriim distinct from this, and not 

 known to him as British, his description being based on the Linnean 

 types. Nevertheless, it is evident that Kirby's descriptions — made from 

 males only — both refer to tnmulorum L. and not io flavipes F. 



Judge P. Bliithgen, to whom I am indebted for German specimens, 

 has pointed out the real differences between the two species in his tables 

 on German Halicti (Deutsche Ent. Zeitschr. 1920, pp. 81-132), and 

 in other papers. The distinctions between them are for the most part 

 difficult to appreciate, and I have not been successful myself in the 

 perception of some of the characters given, while it is absolutely neces- 

 sary that the material be in the best of condition if others of these are 

 to be seen at all. Some of the characters considered to be of specific 

 value are certainly not constant ; but, that the species are really dis- 

 tinct, appears certain from the fact that the genitalia present obvious 

 differences. 



On the continent there is another closely allied species, which I 

 have long looked for without success in this country, but which is quite 

 likely to occur, seeing how extremely local or rare with us are some of the 

 species of the genus that abound in Northern Europe. This species, 

 H. fasciatus Nyl., was recorded by Smith on the strength of a speci- 

 men caught by him at Deal, and sent to Nylander, who returned it 

 with this name. This specimen I have examined, and 1 have no doubt 

 that it is a ratlier abraded exam|)lc of fldvipr.s- 2 ■ Smitli liiniself 



