80 HYMENOPTERA. 



known, the brilliant splendour of their coloui-s havinof obtained 

 for them several characteristic names; they are usually known 

 by the popular one of ruby-tailed-flies. 



The attacks of these insects are general : the same species 

 at diflPerent times will be found preying upon the larvae of 

 different species of bees; at another on wasps, attacking both 

 the solitary and social species of that family ; it may also be 

 found in the nests of fossorial Hymenoptera ; Chrysis innita, 

 the most abundant species of the genus, is found in all 

 parts of Europe, and is subject to very great differences, both 

 of form and colouring ; this insect is frequently reared from 

 nests of Odynerus antilope, I have also obtained it from that 

 of O. spmipes, A few years ago I brought home from 

 Yorkshire a nest of Vespa rufa; as I kept this nest for 

 several weeks in my sitting-room, I had an opportunity of 

 obtaining many parasites on this species of wasp, amongst 

 others, several of Chrysis ignita. I have also observed it 

 about the burrows of Cerceris arena na, and Wackenaer has 

 I believe obtained it from the nests of that insect ; it most 

 probably will be found to be a very general parasite. 



The beautiful Chrysis bidentata I have only found in com- 

 pany with Odynerus spinipes ; to this species its attacks 

 appear to be confined. 



Chrysis cyanea is the parasite of Chelosioma Jiorisomnis, 

 and I think it also attacks other species of wood-boring bees ; 

 it is found in all parts of Europe. 



Chrysis hicolor is a species new to the British list ; I ob- 

 tained specimensfrom a nest oiOsmia parietina, brought from 

 Loch Rannoch by Charles Turner, the well known collector. 



It is now upwards of twenty years since Shuckard pub- 

 lished his excellent Monogiaph on the Chrysididce, in the 

 " Entomological Magazine ;" since that period much ad- 



