236 [October, 



Odynerus basalts iii Dorset. — While staying at Swanage I was fortunate enough 

 to discover, towards the end of June last, in close proximity, two large colonies of 

 this, hitherto our rarest British wasp. It occurred on ground which I have hunted 

 fairly regularly for years (except from 1903 to 1907), and curiously enough on the 

 day following that on which I made the acquaintance of Mr. K. B. Nevinson, who, 

 having carefully looked up the old records of basalis (five specimens in all, the most 

 recent being in 1806), had written to me to join him in searching for this very 

 insect; adding his opinion -since justified— that it might make its appearance 

 earlier than was generally supposed. Both colonies were using last year's burrows, 

 one in hard sandstone, and the other in light peaty soil ; while, except for the two 

 small patches thus occupied, the surrounding country showed no trace of the insect. 

 I have heard it suggested that " basalis " might possibly be parasitic, but this is not 

 so. Old cocoons from the " peat colony " were large for the size of the wasp, each 

 surrounded with a coating of fine sand and stones, and occurred barely an inch 

 below the surface. Few were eaten through from below, so that it would seem that 

 the eggs are generally deposited singly. When I was compelled, early in July, to 

 leave Swanage the old emergence holes were still being used, but Mr. Nevinson 

 informs me that, later, he saw the ? $ working at their new burrows, and that 

 investigation of two of these showed, in each case, an egg in company with three 

 Lepidopterous larvse (probably a Depressaria), deposited (in the sandstone colony) 

 at a depth of 2\ inches. There was no trace of any tubes such as are constructed 

 by O. spinipes. Chrysis cyanea, C. viridula, and one other, probably integrum or 

 ardens, occurred at the burrows, but had the appearance of being casual visitors 

 only. A long series of basalis showed a marked uniformity in colour and size. 



Mr. Edward Saunders, to whom I sent specimens, informs me, as I had also 

 noticed, that the insect should be placed in the Leionotus group, the $ having the 

 extremities of the antennae hooked, the ? having no fovea on the apical margin of 

 the basal segment of the abdomen, and neither sex having this segment carinated. 

 Mr. Saunders also expressed the opinion that basalis would prove to be herrichii, 

 Sauss. I could detect no difference between one of my captures and a continental 

 herrichii of his sufficient to enable me to separate the two, and I must leave it to 

 him to decide. — C. H. Mortimer, Holmwood : September, 1908. 



[After seeing a series of Mr. Mortimer's captures I feel convinced that basalis, 

 Smith, is identical with herrichii, Sauss. This being so, herrichii, Sauss., is the 

 name we must use, as it was published a year in advance of Smith's basalis. — 

 E. Saunders]. 



A romantic tragedy in low life.— The following episode will probably appeal to 

 the romantic side of Entomologists -particularly the fairer portion of them. While 

 collecting Diptera near here on July 23rd, 1 saw seated on a burdock leaf a medium 

 sized very dark Crabro. She was apparently sound asleep, and was taking no 

 interest in her surroundings. Presently there alighted on the same leaf a pair 

 ( & and ? ) of I'oecilobothrus nobilitalus, one of our commonest and handsomest 

 Dolichopodidv. The $ began immediately to " display "—waltzing round the ? 

 with head lowered and wings rapidly vibrating, the white spots at the tips of his 

 wings forming little silvery quadrants, so rapid were the vibrations. By-and-by 

 the ? was moved by the ardour of the male's wooing, and the two insects began to 



