The genus Eumenes is composed of those Wasps wliich are 

 solitary in their habits ; not congregating and forming nests, 

 like the common Wasps and Hornets ; Fabricius in his Si/- 

 stemaPiezatoTtmi described 23 species, 3 of which are European, 

 and Panzer has added 3 or 4 more to them ; but it was not 

 recorded as a British genus until my friend the Rev. W. 

 Kirby (equally celebrated for his invaluable works and for 

 his acute observations) discovered it in an entomological ex- 

 cursion with Mr. Dale upon Parley Heath, on the borders of 

 Hampshire, July 3, 1821; — at the end of August 1822, I 

 captured 2 on the same heath upon gravelly and dry banks ; 

 and earlier in the last year, I am informed by Mr. Bentley, it 

 was found by him settling upon different species of Ericae 

 which are common in such situations. 



Emnenes may probably at a future period be separated into 

 two genera ; but as I cannot detect any important differences 

 in the Trophi after the most careful examination, I shall only 

 propose to make 2 divisions of them: the 1st may contain the 

 species with a long petiole to the abdomen; the 2nd (to which 

 our Insect belongs) those with the 1st segment short and funnel- 

 shaped, of which the parts composing the mouth agreeing with 

 the habit of the Insects, are more robust and obtuse than in 

 the 1st division. 



The plant figured is the beautiful Erica Tetralix (Cross- 

 leaved Heath). 



