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HYMENOPTERA. 



Notes on Hymenoptera. 



By Frederick Smith. 



I HAVE great pleasure in contributing; a few notes on Hy- 

 menoptera to the *' Annual" of this year, having some valu- 

 able Entomological information to communicate, localities to 

 point out for some of our rarest fossorial Hymenoptera, and 

 to make known the discovery of a fine species of ant, new to 

 the fauna of this country. The glorious summer and autumn 

 that we so lately enjoyed, were in every respect highly favour- 

 able to the aculeate Hymenoptera ; Entomologists will there- 

 fore be quite justified in expecting a valuable record of ob- 

 servations and discoveries; happily these anticipations will, 

 I think, be fully realized. 



Records no doubt exist of seasons equally favourable for 

 the appearance of Hymenopterous insects, and memorable 

 for the captures of new and rare species, but none perhaps 

 that contain notices of more interesting discoveries, or a larger 

 amount of additional Entomological information. 



The addition of a new species, and that a very marked and 

 distinct one, to the list of our British Formicidce^ is an event 

 of rare occurrence, and, at the sam^e time, one that has afibrded 

 me great pleasure ; in addition to which the discovery of a 

 locality that will probably yield nearly every species of our 

 Formicidce, and a very large majority of the fossorial tribe, 

 gives me an opportunity of pointing out to my brother Hy- 



1865. " G 



