WESTERN QUARTERLY REPORTER. 161 



[From the Western Quarterly Reporter, Vol. II. No. 1, for January, 

 February, and March, 1823, p. 71-82.] 



ARTICLE IX. 



Natural History. 

 A Desoription of some new species of Hymenopterous Insects.* 



BY THOMAS SAY, 



Professor of Natural History in the University of Pennsylvania, and of Zoology to the 

 Philadelphia Museum. 



The following descriptions of insects belonging to the order 

 Hymenoptera, of Linn^, have been made out from specimens col- 

 lected by myself whilst engaged as a member of Major Long's 

 exploring party under the orders of the Secretary of War, J. C. 

 Calhoun, in traversing the region of country which extends from 

 the river Mississippi to the base of the Rocky Mountains. These 

 insects constitute about one-third of the whole number of new 

 Hymenoptera discovered during the expedition : the remainder 

 will be the subject of a future essay. 



* The name of this class of insects is derived from two Greek words 

 'ufAMv-no;, membrane, and 3-t«/)«, wing. The insects belonging to it have 

 most commonly four naked wings, with longitudinal nervures, the infe- 

 rior of which are shorter and straighter than the superior, to which they 

 are attached. They have six feet, a mouth furnished with distinct man- 

 dibles, with jaws and a lip which by their union form a trunk or sucker, 

 which is called tongue. The female most frequently has the abdomen 

 terminated with a little needle or awl. The wasp and bee are familiar 

 instances of the general characters belonging to this class of insects. 

 The service rendered bj' these, which like the wasp prey on inferior in- 

 sects, is scarcely less acceptable than that performed by the bee in the 

 collection of honey for our use. The manners of this class are very in- 

 teresting throughout, whether we consider them engaged in the con- 

 struction of receptacles for their progeny, or selecting with great appa- 

 rent forethought and much labor, the food which is destined for their 

 subsistence.— Ed. W. Q. R. 



11 



