18 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



mention of many others not before recorded from Britain. In 1890, 

 he gave us a capital ini'via of the genus Ghjpta {I'wipliilac) and four 

 years later a list of the species of the group in Norfolk, which, with 

 that for South Devon in 1898, further sAvells our very meagre and 

 imperfect small insular catalogue. 



In an excellent paper in the Vroc. U.S. Jf».sr»»(, Ashmead has just 

 summed up the known genera of the world, and from this we learn 

 that from darkness early in the nineteenth century, we may hope for 

 light early in the twentieth, and Ave trust new Holmgrens and 

 Thomsons shall ere long present it to us. 



Notes on Phytophagous Hymenoptera, 1800 — 1900. 



By (Eev.) E. N. BLOOMFIELD, M.A., F.E.S. 



I have been asked to write a paper on the progress made in the know- 

 ledge of the Phytophagous Hymenoptera during the century now just 

 drawing to a close. This I am not able to do, for, living in the country, I 

 have no large library at hand, and do not myself possess the works 

 necessary for reference. Perhaps, however, I may be allowed to give 

 a few notes on the subject, principally drawn from Cameron's works, 

 and regret I am unable to do more. 



The Phytophagous Hymenoptera for the most part belong to the 

 two families, TENTHREoiNmAE and Cynipidae, commonly called sawflies 

 and gallflies. Of these the former seems to have been scarcely studied 

 in this country until the time of Leach, who gave a classification of 

 most of those which were then known (cf., W. E. Leach, Zooloijival 

 Mbcvllmuj, 1814-17). In 1835 J. F." Stephens, in his lluUra- 

 tions, described the kinds known by him to inhabit Britain ; the 

 work, however, was done very imperfectly. His collections show that 

 he confounded many species, and, I believe, described slight varieties 

 as distinct, though his plates are very accurate and beautiful. Soon 

 afterwards Westwood classified the Tcnthrcdinidae in groups of sub- 

 families, carefully distinguishing between them {cf., Mml. Class. Ins., 

 1839-40). In 1882-90 the Kay Society published Cameron's Muno- 

 (jrapli of Jhitish Flu/tojJiaiioiis Hniiicnoptera in 4 volumes. This marks 

 a great advance in the knoAvledge of the family in this country, and 

 now it is easy to determine the more conspicuous species in the imago 

 and often in the larval state, though many of his names fall before 

 previous ones adopted on the continent. This family had been care- 

 fully studied on the continent by J. C. F. King and others earlier in 

 the century, and more recently by Pastor Konow, some of the results 

 of whose researches are given by Cameron in his fourth volume. 



One of the most interesting points about the Tenth redinidae dis- 

 covered in the last few years is the occurrence of complete or incom- 

 plete parthenogenesis. In some few species no male has as yet been 

 found ; in many of these the females are common, and have also 

 been reared from the eggs laid by parthenogenetic females. In other 

 cases, though males occur, the unimpregnated females deposit eggs 

 which usually produce males only. Many observers have recently paid 

 especial attention to parthenogenesis in the TentJurdinidac, among others, 

 Messrs. J. E. Fletcher, Bridgman, and Dr. Osborne. Few species remain 

 known in one sex only, but the proportion of the sexes of most species 

 is peculiarly disproportionate, and it is generally found that eggs laid 



