25G [December, 



Notes nn inseds at f^t. Hidona. — Tlic following brief notes of the entomological 

 results of six weeks' stay in this island may not be uninteresting. Mrs. WoUaston 

 and I arc staying at Plantation House, some ISOO feet above the sea, and commanding, 

 ■within an easy ride of an hour and a half (on the back of either a pony or donkey), 

 the uncultivated district, still covered with cabbage-trees and tree-ferns, of the great 

 central ridge. This is so generally covered in with cloud, that even now it is almobt 

 impossible to reach it more than about tAvo days in each week. 



Our object being exclusively to investigate the Fauna of St. Helena, we shall 

 probably remain on until at least the middle of December, and then make for 

 Madeira. As might be expected in such an isolated spot (some 1,200 miles from the 

 nearest continental land), species are decidedly scarce, and the gaps prodigious, — 

 ■whole families (almost universal) being totally unrepresented. Yet the fauna 

 is precisely what I felt sure it would be {i. e., so far as the Coleoptera are 

 concerned) ; variations of some half-dozen forms occurring, which are so monstrously 

 developed that we never ride up to the cabbage-tree ridge without getting new 

 ones. This (from the few eccentric species which had been sent home from time to 

 time) I always anticipated would be the case, — MicroxyloMus (of the CossonidceJ 

 reigning supreme, followed by Notioxenus and Honiceodera of the Anthrihidce, and 

 Nesiotes of the Synaptonychidce ; all of them Rhyncfinphora. A few anomalous 

 little creatures of other groups have of course turned up, but they are quite the 

 exception, — such as a diminutive Trechus scarcely larger than a Meligethes, two or 

 three minute Bembidia; and in Hyme:ioptera a small creature, apparently unable to 

 fly, which has its wings of a velvety consistency, the hinder pair being reduced to 

 narrow strips, or filaments, whilst the front ones arc not only large and carried erect 

 over its thorax, but pedunculated at the base, and formed towards the apex into 

 complete sx>oons (deep, regular, and concave). It is altogether a wonderful insect, 

 and resides in the wet moss which pads the faces (at a high altitude) of perpendicular 

 rocks. A few cm-ious looking bugs have also come to light in the centi-al districts, 

 including a beautiful genus allied to Salda. The Lepidoptera are the special depart- 

 ment of Mrs. WoUaston, and I do not attempt to touch them ; but I think she has 

 obtained at least 60 species already, — chiefly Pyralidw and Tineina. Of butterflies 

 there seem to be only four sjiecies, — the common Cynthia cardui, L. bcetica, a big 

 Danais (found also at the Canaries and Cape Verde), and a large black and white 

 tropical form. At any rate, in loth orders we have exceeded (in point of number) 

 Mr. Melliss' list, which is at least hopeful, liis lately published catalogue being the 

 rcsidt of many years' collecting in the island. My number of species hitherto does 

 not exceed about 130, and I am doubtful whether I shall bring it up above 200 

 before we go. — T. V. Wollaston, Plantation House, St. Helena : October 19th, 1875. 



On the cnptwe o/ a South American wasp (Polistes bipustxilatus, Saussure) near 

 Liverpool. — During an excursion of the Liverpool Naturalists' Field Club la«t summer, 

 a specimen of Polistes bipustulatus was found by Mr. W. H. Mountficld about eight 

 miles from Liverpool, near Ince Blundell, a locality about a mile from the nearest 

 shore, and quite away from all houses and docks. The insect was caught in a dry 

 sandy situation, and, although the species is imdoubtcdly an importation, the question 

 arises as to the possibility of the specimen caught being one of a brood developed 

 in this country. The nests of Polistes are exposed, consisting of a single comb, 



