NOTES ON THE ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA. 31 



raneus, which in its most highly coloured form is a black 

 insect, with bright yellow bands on the thorax and abdomen, 

 having the apex of the latter white ; from this form, every 

 gradual change is to be met with, until we arrive at the last, 

 which presents an insect totally black : no one. possessing the 

 extremes of the range of varieties only, and only one or two 

 of the intermediate stages, could possibly satisfy himself that 

 these constituted but one species ; supply the intermediate 

 links, and the difficulty ceases at once. Such being the case 

 in one instance, we may reasonably conclude that it is a cir- 

 cumstance of frequent occurrence ; such in fact it is well 

 known to be amongst British insects. 



The above observations tend principally to establish the 

 fact, that great range must be allowed to differences in 

 coloration, whilst endeavouring to settle its limits, when de- 

 scribing a species. We will now advance a well-known 

 insect, as an instance of differences to be met with in a single 

 species, in sculpture and form. No better illustration of this 

 can probably be produced than Chrysis ignita. This insect 

 is entirely covered with punctures ; but the differences in the 

 coarseness or fineness of the punctation is immense. The 

 apex of the abdomen is armed with four teeth; but the 

 relative length as well as position of these is known to 

 assume nine distinct types of form ; in the last, the two 

 central teeth are nearly obsolete ; in a tenth type, which we 

 possess, all the teeth are obsolete. The above instances 

 should, we think, induce the young naturalist to resist the 

 spreading rage for the multiplication of species, and to avail 

 himself of 'every information which either collections or 

 books afford, before he venture to create a species, probably 

 out of a variety, or to do that which another has accomplished 

 before him. The attention which is now being given to this 

 subject will doubtless create a re-action, and we may even 



