46 [February, 



Mr. W. Denison Roebuck F.L.S., reported for the Hymenoptera, Diptera, and 

 Hemiptera Committee, that the only observations received were on Hymenoptera. 

 Aculeata were noted at Luddenden and Halifax by Mr. H. Walsh ; at Keighley 

 by Mr. Rosse Bntterfield ; at Leeds by Mr. A. Hodgson and Mr. Roebuck ; at 

 Ronndhay by Mr. A. E. Bradley ; and about Selby by Mr. J. F. Musham. All 

 the observers agreed that the season had not been a favourable one. Of species 

 of more than usual interest, Mr. Walsh at Luddenden noted Halictus freygess- 

 neri, $ , fairly plentiful at harebell flowers in one place ; Crabro dimidiatus and 

 Bombus jonellus sparingly. Mr. Butterfield's observations at Keighley included 

 Bombus soroensis, in fair numbers, from Keighley to Skipton — a fine record for 

 Airedale— though it has long been known to be not uncommon in Wharfedale; 

 Nomada ferruginata in Howden Clough, Keighley, June 15th ; the local N. lath- 

 buriana in fair plenty, entering the burrows of Andrena cineraria, intei'esting 

 as furnishing a new host ; A. helvola and A. analis more plentiful than in any 

 other year of his experience. Mr. Musham gave some interesting field-notes on 

 the commoner species, and Mr. Bradley's notes on humble-bees, at Ronndhay, 

 were most interesting. He found one £ of Psithyrus quadricolor parasitic on 

 Bombus pratorum. He notes that while at Ronndhay, B. terrestris is nearly as 

 common as B. lucorum ; in the last two years he and his little daughter have 

 only been able to find one specimen of the parasite of the first-named, a female 

 of Psithyrus vestalis ; the parasite ( /'. distinctus) of B. lucorum was extremely 

 common, the males abundant in August and September. Males of P. campestris, 

 the parasite of B. agrorum, were frequent in the same months, the majority 

 being faded examples, but all the fresh-coated specimens were of the dark 

 variety ; they had not taken the female. B. hortorum and B. lapidarius were 

 found a good many times, but no specimen at all of their parasites — P. barbu- 

 tellus and P. rupestris, respectively. Mr. Bradley observes of the season that in 

 April, May, June, and part of July, humble-bees were numerically scarce as 

 compared with the corresponding months of 1912, but in the succeeding months, 

 right into October, it was obvious that they (especially males and young queens) 

 were vastly more common than in the previous season. There is little doubt as 

 to the reason : 1912 was a bad season for them — damp and cold — the colonies 

 did not thrive, although a great number were started. Consequently, com- 

 paratively few impregnated queens went into hibernation. This year fewer 

 colonies started than before, but owing to the wonderful summer they have 

 been remarkably prosperous. Mr. Bradley's list of Roundhay humble-bees, 

 arranged in order of frequency, is thus: Bombus lucorum, ? V > $ ; B. agrorum, 

 $ ? , (J ; 2?. terrestris, <j> °. , $ ■ B. lapidarius, ? ? , $ ; B. pratorum, ??,(?; 

 B. hortorum, £ ? only ; Psithyrus distinctus, 9 S ; P. campestris, <J only ; 

 P. vestalis, ? only ; P. quadricolor, <J only. In Mr. Roebuck's little garden at 

 Hyde Park Corner, Leeds, the abundant species every year on flowers of Epilo- 

 bium angustifolium, is Bombus pratorum, the others occurring— P. agrorum, 

 B. terrestris, B. lucorum —being very scarce, but this is not surprising in a well 

 built up part of the city. 



Of other groups than Aculeates, Mr. W. E. L. Wattam sent an example of 

 Sirex noctilio, taken in the town of Huddersfield ; and Mr. B. Morley, a number 



