THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



6. CCRLTOXYS VeCTIS. 



Coelioxys vectis, Curtis, Brit. Ent. viii. fol. 349, pi. 349, 

 female ; Smith, Zool. iii, 1152; Bees Great Brit. 150, 

 pi. ii. fig. 5, female. 



C. punctata, Schenc/c, Bees of Nassau, 368. 



C. temporalis, Nyland. Ap. Boreal. 253. 



This may possibly be the species described by St. Fargeau, 

 and named by him C. punctata ; indeed I am inclined to 

 believe lliat the female is so ; certainly not the male, which 

 is described as having red pubescence on the face, which C. 

 Vectis has not : be that as it may, Curtis described the 

 species in 1831, St. Fargeau not until 1841. I therefore 

 conclude that Professor Schenck did not know that the name 

 Vectis had the prority. The species is local, but has been 

 taken plentifully at Fulhaui and sparingly at Croydon. It 

 was first discovered at Black Gang Chine, by Mr. Curtis ; 

 I found it very plentiful in Sandovvn Bay, Isle of Wight, in 

 the middle of July, 1852. It is parasitic upon Megachile 

 maritima. It is not uncommon at Lowestoft, and is found 

 on Mousehold Heath, near Norwich. 



The genus Coelioxys, as well as one or two others be- 

 longing to the Aculeate Hyraenoptera, have a peculiarity 

 attaching to them, probably in some way connected with 

 their preservation, being in fact a means of passive defence. 

 It is well known to entomologists that many insects secrete 

 and discharge peculiar noxious fluids; others emit offensive 

 odours ; in both cases, it has been suggested, for the purpose 

 of self-preservation. Hitherto observation has been prin- 

 cipally, in this respect, directed to Coleoptera and the larvae 

 of some Lepidoptera; indeed, attention has lately been called 

 to the fact of several species of butterflies possessing a most 

 offensive odour, for the purpose, it has been suggested, of 

 rendering them obnoxious to insect-feeding birds. 



I am not aware of any one having referred to this subject 

 in connexion with the Hymeno(3tera. Mr. Kirby has noted 

 the strong aromatic perfume emitted by several bees : of the 

 genus Prosopis he observes that " when pressed between the 

 fingers they emit a powerful, and at the same time agreeable, 

 scent of balm ;" he also refers to a species of Crabro that 



