94 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
small bed of wallflowers just coming into blossom. After this 
we had a continuance of cold easterly winds and snow storms till 
the 14th, which was another bright and spring‘like day, and 
tempted these bees forth again ; honey bees too were particularly 
busy among the crocuses this day. Now came more cold blows, 
and at the present moment instead of spring we have winter in 
all its grim and stern reality.—V. R. Perxins; Wotton-under- 
Kdge, March 20, 1883. 
Nore oN THE GENUS HemipEIna.—Notes on the habits of that 
somewhat obscure race of insects included in the genus Hemideima 
and its allies will probably be an interesting subject to your 
readers. The following I do not offer as anything very com- 
plete, but merely as the experience of the last six months. 
These insects inhabit only one species of tree in. the forest 
that I know of, viz., Melicytus ramiflorus, or, as it is commonly 
called, the locust tree. They form tunnels through the main 
stem and branches, having holes communicating with the exterior 
at various distances up the tree. ‘There is also generally a large 
cavity at the base close to the ground. The diameter of the 
tunnels is mostly under six lines; the largest I never found 
over nine. The trees containing specimens may be readily 
told by the presence of the above-mentioned holes. To extract 
one of these insects without injury is no easy matter, but 
is most successfully done by the following method :—First 
procure a small axe, and cut in about three-quarters through 
the trunk, just below one of the holes; then insert the axe so as 
to split the wood off in long pieces, thus removing one side of the 
tunnel. The first thing seen on approaching an insect will be 
two red threads, which are the antenne laid over its back behind 
it in the tunnel. An incision then made about ten inches below, 
and the piece split off, exposes the insect to view in its tunnel, 
which is frequently filled with débris containing various small 
insects, such as Blatte, &e. The width of the gallery 
seldom exceeds that of the creature’s head; the great posterior 
legs are stretched out behind, and by prizing against the 
floor of its burrow serve to propel it; the fore-legs are 
placed in front, and are firmly fixed by the tarsal claws, and 
thus pull the insect at the same time as the hind and inter- 
mediate ones push, so that it is enabled to proceed at a con- 
siderable rate down these holes. The mobility of the body is 
