THE STYLOPS. 157 



peculiar structure of the claws, each of which is furnished with 

 a small supplementary claw on its lower surface. 



On Plate XI. the reader will see near the Andrena some 

 curious little insects, which evidently do not belong to tha 

 order of insects represented on the plate. These are the re- 

 rharkable insects that have just been mentioned, and which are 

 known by the name of Stylops Melittce. The discovery of the 

 Stylops is due to the late Mr. Kirby. He had often observed 

 little projections from between the segments of the abdomen 

 in certain bees belonging to the genus Andrena, but thought 

 that they were simply the little mites or acari that beset 

 not only bees but Beetles. He passed a pin under it, and, 

 on trying to disengage it, drew from the body of the bee a 

 little whitish grub, the head of which was projecting from 

 between two of the segments, the whole of its body being buried 

 in the abdomen of the bee. 



Being naturally surprised at such a result, he tried another 

 specimen, and this time found that he had hit upon a pupa 

 just ready to cast its envelope. ' The reader may imagine how 

 greatly my astonishment was increased, when, after I had 

 drawn it out but a little way, I saw its skin burst, and a head 

 as black as ink, with large staring eyes, and antennse consisting 

 of two branches, break forth, and move itself briskly from side 

 to side. It looked like a little imp of darkness just emerged 

 from the infernal regions. I was impatient to become better 

 acquainted with so singular a creature. When it was com- 

 pletely disengaged, and I had secured it from making its escape, 

 I set myself to examine it as closely as possible ; and I found, 

 after a careful inquiry, that I had not only got a nondescript, but 

 also an insect of a new genus, whose very order seemed dubious.' 



Since that time, much care has been given to the investiga- 

 tion of these insects, and it has been found that several genera 

 inhabit England, the whole constituting the family Stylopidae. 

 The word Stylops is Greek, and signifies ' stalk-eyed.' It is 

 given to these insects because some of them have their eyes 

 set on footstalks of greater or lesser length. These are also 

 remarkable for the very few facets which they contain. The 

 compound eyes of most insects may count their facets by thou- 

 sands, and in many cases by tens of thousands ; but in the 

 Stylopidae they are counted only by tens, and in one species. 



