106 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



am anxious to know whether it is a fact that these are females? 

 My observations would lead me to think they are males, and 

 not, as is commonly supposed, females. Frequently I have 

 noticed a great many of them early in the year, as is the case 

 this year ; and yet w asps' nests have not always been abun- 

 dant in the same years that these (supposed) females or 

 queen wasps have abounded. Can you enlighten me on the 

 subject ? — James Mutton ; Silverdale, Lancaster, June 5. 



[1 have examined a considerable number of the large wasps 

 found in spring, and have always found them to be females ; 

 but in the presence of my able correspondent Mr. Smith 

 I hesitate to pronounce with editorial authority that this is 

 invariably the case : will Mr. Smith kindly inform us ? — E.N.] 



Obituary. 

 Death of Mr. John Chant.— Mr. Chant and his colleague 

 Mr. Bentley were among my first entomological acquaintances ; 

 and all the older entomologists now living may be reckoned 

 to have made their entomological debut under the auspices 

 of these veterans of our science : on my very first visit to 

 Darenth Wood 1 well recollect meeting the elder Standish, 

 whose good opinion I cannot say I lost, but I certainly never 

 obtained, from two facts which Mr. Standish very soon 

 learned of me ; first, that I collected "Clear- wings," meaning 

 Hymenoptera ; and, secondly, that I was unacquainted with 

 " Chant and Bentley :" the latter delinquency I soon over- 

 came, and was a weekly visitor at their Thursday evening 

 reunions for many years ; the first, the weakness for " Clear- 

 wmgs," I have never completely conquered. Mr. Chant 

 became a contributor to my ' Entomological Magazine' about 

 the same period, 1832—36, but his communications were iew 

 in number and were soon altogether discontinued. Mr. 

 Chant died in September, 1867, but 1 cannot ascertain his 

 exact age: he devoted his spare time of later years to 

 re-settu)g insects for the British Museum and for Mr. Saun- 

 ders : his collections, consisting of three small cabinets of 

 British Lepidoptera, were sold by Mr. Stevens on the 24th 

 ol April la.st; and two of the insects, Sesia asiliformis (the 

 true Si^hinx Vespiformis of Linneus) and Sesia allantiformis 

 (the type-specimen described by m) self), fetched the extra- 



