SYNOPSIS OF THE ORTHOPTERA OF WESTERN EUROPE. 829 



nests of the Bo)iihi. Now this went against the only practical observa- 

 tions I had notes of, so when I heard him ask for questions at the end, 

 I asked him for his authorities for the statement. I then found that 

 practically nothing was known except that these diptera did frequent 

 the nests of the Bomhi. My friend, Mr. Kobson, took larvje of this 

 species from a nest of Bomhux a;irorian. These were busily engaged in 

 devouring the helpless pupje of the bee, and attained their full growth 

 on that pabulum. They reached this stage in the late autumn, but 

 hibernated as fullgrown larvfe, not pupating until the April of the 

 following year. In July, 1905, a nest of J I. wjronuu was taken, and, 

 by chance, a little comb was left. On examining the site of the nest 

 some four or five weeks later, a number of the pale ray-tailed larvae of 

 V. bonib}/lans were seen feeding on the comb and, presumably, its 

 contents. The larvje and the cUbru of the nest were taken for 

 observation. The larvne never ate further after the removal of the 

 comb, but gradually shrivelled up and died. This proves, I think, 

 fairly satisfactorily, that although the larvae may feed on the rubbish 

 of the nests, yet some food of a more siibstantial kind in the pupae of 

 Bnmbi is needed. 



Megachile circumcincta, Lep., in Durham. 



By J. W. H. HAERISON, B.Sc, F.E.S. 

 It is very strange that, in both Northumberland and Durham, 

 the common leaf-cutter bee, Me.jiachile centuncidaris, is totally absent. 

 Everywhere its place is taken by the closely allied form Ji. circinncincta. 

 I note that Saunders, in his Hymenoptera Aculeata, says that M. 

 circHwcmcta is a local species. However true that statement may be 

 of the south of England, it certainly does not apply to Northumberland 

 or Durham, for the insect is everywhere abundant. The same holds 

 good of Fife, where, on the coast, it also occurs in abundance. Here it 

 makes its cells in the sods placed on the top of the "dry stone dykes," 

 and may be seen busily engaged in carrying leaves to its burrow, and 

 flying with it may be observed its inquiline, Coelioxys elour/ata, 

 Lep. At least this is the species which favours it in Durham. The 

 larvae are provided with bee-bread made from the pollen of thistles, 

 and feed on that inside their thimble-shaped abodes, constructed of 

 rose-leaves, throughout the autumn. They become fullgrown late in 

 the year, but, instead of pupating then, remain as fullfed larvaj until 

 the following spring. They then pupate, and the imagines emerge a 

 month or so later. One generally sees it stated that the entrance to 

 the burrows is closed by the bee itself, but I am convinced, from my 

 own observations, that the entrance is left unclosed, and that the wind 

 and rain are the agents by which it is finally blocked up. 



Synopsis of the Orthoptera of Western Europe. 



By MALCOLM BURR, B.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



{Continued from p. 291.) 



3. Pamphagus cucullatus, Bolivar. 



The female differs from P. monticola in the more compressed prono- 



tum, with linear ridges on the dorsum, but none on the sides, by the 



apically rounded elytra, by the absence of small tubercles on the 



metanotum, and by the violet colour of the inner face of the posterior 



