42 [July,. 



useful critical remarks and diagnostic comparative characters of species are given, 

 in the author's usual lucid manner. Then follows a list of the Homoptera, 133 

 species (pp. 194 — 236), including some that are new. This paper, as well as that of 

 Dr. Sahlberg, is especially deserving of the attention of British Hemipterists, the 

 fauna of Finland and Britain being very similar. 



It is a matter of regret that in both these articles, as also in other works of 

 greater extent treating of different orders of insects, and by other modern authors, 

 the faulty oi'thography of many generic names is retained. Here, among many 

 others similar, is Eusarcoris for JEusarcocoris ; Temnostethus for Tmetostethus ; 

 Piezostethus for Piestostethus (both very bad examples of derivation) ; and names 

 into which, as a compound, the Greek word soma enters, which are mostly (not 

 always) made neuter if the termination be in soma, yet (rightly) masculine if it be 

 in somus. The same remark applies to names into the composition of which demas 

 enters, the terminal dema being deemed to make the compound word neuter, but if 

 it be demus then masculine. But I refer to the conclusive remarks on this subject, 

 by a classical authority, in the Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. iv, pp. 259 and 280. The per- 

 petuation of such and other irregularities, to call them by a mild designation, gives 

 force to the reproach of a philologist once addressed to an entomologist : — " You 

 naturalists coin most extraordinary names, sometimes by mere fanciful invention, 

 involution, or anagram, and yet you treat the results, which belong to no language, 

 as if they were Latin ; and sometimes, when you profess to derive them from the 

 Greek, you so mangle or misuse the words that your results indicate in their 

 authors a want of full perception of the principles or rules of the G-reek and Latin 

 languages ; and in preserving the erroneous concoctions you show a blind conser- 

 vatism." Some of these names are incurable and I suppose must be endured, but 

 others might be easily amended by general consent and practice. Gemminger and 

 Harold, in their works, have set an excellent example in correcting the orthography 

 of generic names of Coleoptera. — J. W. Douglas, 8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : 

 is/// April. 1881. 



Notes on Spring Hymenoptt-ra in 1881. — Although the Aculeate llymenoptera 

 have been generally scarce this spring, I have obtained 2 species which I think are 

 worthy of notice. The 1st, Andreha lapponica, I was fortunate enough to meet 

 with near Hastings, in April, and secured a few specimens of the $ , all flying at 

 sallow blossoms, and so like Trimmerana, as to be difficult to distinguish from it 

 until examined at home. The sculpture of the anal segment above is a good 

 character, in Trimmerana it is simply punctured, in lapponica the centre is 

 triangularly raised. I was also pleased to see in the collection of Mr. F. Collett, of 

 Sr. Leonards, the $ of Andrena fasciata, Wesmael, generally known on the 

 Continent by the name of extricata, Smith ; this name has been given to it in error, 

 as Smith's extricata is simply fulvicrus faded, and he did not know the true fasciata, 



smoky-white, that is, more or less sooty (couleur de suie) ; the postepistemum marked near the 

 odorific regions with a score of points, partly disposed in two irregular rows" tin mono \i in one 

 irregular row). It is further said that "the colour of the antennae varies ; sometimes the 1st 

 joint is partially or wholly of the same colour as the 2nd (fauve), and often the base of the 3rd 

 and 4th are testaceous red (roux fauve}." The distinguishing characteristics indicated are slight 

 and have mostly an element of " more or less," yet they may be sufficient to constitute a distinct 

 species. 



A', luctuosus is quoted by Mulsant and Rey as = Cimex morio, Fab , Wolff. ; Pentatomus morio, 

 Latr., Lepell., and Serv. ; Cydnus morio, Fab., Fall , Burm., Ramb., Gorski, and Flor. ; Sehirus 

 morio, Amy. and Kerv. partim, lieb. (nee Linn.;. — J. W. D. 



