94 NOTES ON ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA. 



parallel in the scarcity of almost the whole aculeate tribe; 

 in my experience, no spring produced so few individuals of 

 the family Andrenidce ; spots where these bees usually abound, 

 at their appointed time, were searched in vain ; and favourite 

 haunts of some of the wood-boring tribes appeared as if 

 deserted by their usual inhabitants ; fields, painted with 

 flowers, seemed to have lost their attractions. A greater 

 paucity of those species, which usually abound in autumn, 

 perhaps is unrecorded ; even a wasp with me has proved a 

 rarity ; two figures will sum up the entire number which 

 I observed during the season. On inquiry, I learn that some 

 persons have observed wasps' nests, I have seen but one ; 

 and during a residence of three weeks on the south-east 

 coast, I did not meet with a dozen of these autumnal ma- 

 rauders. The Bombi appeared in very diminished numbers 

 when compared with the season of 1854. The only family, 

 as far as my observation enabled me to estimate, which ap- 

 peared in increased or unusual abundance, was that of the 

 Formicidce ; such were their numbers, in some situations, 

 that they reigned over them in undisputed sway; this was 

 the case on a calm, gloomy, sultry day in the third week 

 of September. Being at Dover, I attempted, accompanied 

 by my family, not only to ascend the celebrated Shakspear's 

 Cliff, but also to take some needful rest when that object 

 was attained ; but vain were all attempts to do so, clouds 

 of winged Myrmicidce occupied the summit, and after endur- 

 ing for some time, with that becoming enthusiasm which 

 ought to animate every fellow-countryman of the immortal 

 bard, we effected a rapid descent, freeing ourselves, as best 

 we might, from the stinging hosts of My r mica scabrinodis. 



Great as were the numbers of the Myrmicidce, — for in 

 point of fact the hosts were composed of more than one 

 species, Myrmica Icevinodis being also observed in some 

 abundance, — they were surpassed by the countless myriads 



