120 (May, 189G. 



H. c<srulescens. — Two specimens in tte National Collection bear 

 this name, given to them by Shuckard and retained by Smith. They 

 differ, however, not only in species, but in genus. One is Hedychrum 

 clialyhceum, Dhb.,the other is Holopyga cliloroidea, Dhb. (=^. curvata, 

 Forat., sec. Mocsary). I fear it is exceedingly doubtful whether either 

 species is really British. Smith says of these two specimens, but 

 giving no authority for the statement, " taken in Devonshire," while 

 Shuckard, writing twenty-five years before, of the same specimens, 

 tells us expressly, " I do not know any locality for them." No other 

 example of either insect is known to have been found in England ; 

 they bear no indication of locality ; and as it is known (see Smith, 

 I. c, p. 81) that some of Dr. Leach's Italian captures have strayed 

 into the National " British" Collection, there seems strong reason to 

 suspect that these isolated insects are among them. In the absence 

 of other grounds for their retention, I fear they must disappear from 

 our list.* 



H.fervidum. — The insect so called by Smith and Shuckard is, as 

 their descriptions show, quite unlike the true Holopyga fervida of 

 Fabricius and Dahlbom, having the vertex entirely blue. Smith's own 

 single specimen in his collection is, I have not the slightest doubt, a 

 normal Holopyga gloriosa, Fab., with red pro- and mesothorax, scu- 

 tellum, and post-scutelhim. The one specimen in the Museum is, I 

 believe, a curious variety of the same species, having a blue head and 

 2')ost-scutelhim, a red pro- and mesothorax and scutellum (c/! Smith's 

 account of \as, fervidum in Ent. Ann., I. c). Shuckard says that the 

 late Mr. W. W. Saunders took several specimens near London. One 

 of these captures I believe to be an insect now in my own collection, 

 given me by Mr. E. Saunders. It is in very bad condition ; but, I 

 think, clearly recognisable as Holopyga gloriosa, var. igjiicollis, Dhb. 

 (?. e., it has pro- and mesothorax only, golden). This variety has a 

 most striking, though superficial, resemblance to the ? of Hedychrum 

 nohile, Scop. (= lucidulum, Fab.). The above three insects, the only 

 supposed British examples I have seen, have all distinctly the neuration 

 and other characters of Holopyga, and not of Hedychrum. I have 

 carefully compared Dr. Mason's specimen and my own with conti- 

 nental specimens oi fervida and gloriosa (and its varieties), and can 

 say with confidence (1) that Smith's '' Hedychrum fervidum'' is a 

 Holopyga, (2) that it is not H. fervida, Fab., and (3) that its punc- 



• In Mr. Parfitt's List of Devonshire Hymenoptera, F. Smith is said to have taken "Hedychrum 

 ccerulescens" at Sidmouth, and a reference is given to Ent. Ann., 1872, p. 102. What, however, 

 Smith actually records there is " HMychriun ccerulea" (sic .')— a slip, probably, for 0. cmruUus. 

 i «., E. cenev.x, Pz. (see above). In Smith's own collection there is nothing called ccei-iUescens, but 

 a specimen of E. ceneus (no doubt, the one in question), called cceruleus, and ticketed "Sidmouth." 



