NOTES FROM CAIRO. 31 



rugose Scleron orientale and of the very rapid little black 

 ■Zophosh ahhreviata, and one Tlijmatisus inllosus. The ants were 

 the ubiquitous Camponotiis maculata and Myrmecoqistiis viaticus, 

 with two or three species of tiny Monomoria. On this bare sand 

 there were also a great number of large ticks with marbled 

 abdomens which made their way towards us as soon as we 

 sat down. 



On another day about half an hour was spent out at Ma'ad, 

 hunting among the "Camel Thorn" on the edge of the desert. 

 This produced plenty of the three commonest " blues " and 

 several of the tiny Chilades trochilus, some pretty Pyrales 

 {Tegostoma maschleri), and single specimens of Euhlemma 

 cochlylioides and Rhynchina arenialis. As usual the commonest 

 things were the Hymenoptera and Orthoptera. The latter in- 

 cluded Epacromia tlialassina, Pyrgomorplia grylloides, and the 

 prettiest Egyptian mantis, Empiisa egeiia. 



Megachile jiavipes, Crocisca ramosa, and Bembex mediterranea 

 were abundant, as well as other common bees and wasps, and 

 I secured one each of Megachile argentata, a very tiny Melipona, 

 Pompilus dispar and tiavicrus, and Ammophila rxBcilocnemis. 

 The only representatives of other orders taken were Mylabris 

 upicipen7iis and Hippobosca capensis. 



On the last day of July I left Giza to go to the Sirdaria on 

 Gezireh. It is the residence of the Sirdar, on the island made 

 by the separation of the Nile just above and below Cairo, and 

 lias a nice garden where Danais chrysippus, Pyrameis cardui, 

 Lycaenids, etc., were always plentiful. 



In this garden I took the following Hymenoptera : Philanthus 

 triangulum, Dlelis collaris, the very rare Stizus apicalis, Hedy- 

 chrum, coelestiiium, Myzine zonata, Nomiodes variegata, Crocisca 

 ramosa, Xylocopa cestiians, Antkophora quadrifasciata, Apis nielli- 

 Jica fasciata, Mutilla interrupta, Sphex iimbrosus, Sceliphron 

 spirifex, Lara anathema, Tachytes anbidens, Trypoxylon atten- 

 uata, and Bembex Insca. Tryxalis ungidculata, Chrotogonus 

 lugubris, and other grasshoppers were abundant, and Eristalis 

 .t^jiiops and the yellow Tachinid Mintho isis common. In the 

 iiouse I found Labidara riparia, Periplaneta americana and its 

 •extraordinary parasite Evania appendig aster, and an abundance 

 •of the ants Myrmecocyslus viaticus, Camponotiis maculatus, and 

 Monomoria spp. Light attracted one moth, Oligochroa coriacella, 

 a few Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa, and a lot of an apparently unnamed 

 :species of Embia. 



My other notes from Egypt include a few moths from Port 

 .Said in April and a very big swarm of locusts which, in the same 

 month, passed the train I was in from before reaching Zagazig 

 till after passing Ismailia, in a steady thick cloud. Of this 

 swarm I also saw specimens at Port Said and in the desert to 

 :the west of Cairo. 



