STREPSIPTERA. 299 
had secured it from making its escape, 1 set myself to examine it as 
accurately 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 class [order] seemed dubious. (Mon. Ap. Anglia, vol. ii. p. 111.) 
In the perfect state, these insects are but short-lived delicate 
creatures. Mr. Dale, who has been very fortunate in his discoveries 
of this order, thus describes the proceedings of one which he caught 
flying, on the 7th of May *, overaquickset hedge of a garden. “ It 
looked milk-white on the wing, with a jet-black body, and totally un- 
like any thing else ; it flew with an undulating or vacillating motion 
amongst the young shoots, and I could not catch it till it settled on 
one, when it ran up and down, its wings in motion, and making a 
considerable buzz or hum, as loud as a Sesia; it twisted about its 
rather long tail, and turned it up like a Staphylinus. I put it under 
a glass, and placed it in the sun; it became quite furious in its con- 
finement, and never ceased running about for two hours. The elytra, 
or processes, were kept in quick vibration as well as the wings; it 
buzzed against the sides of the glass with its head touching it, and 
tumbled about on its back. By putting two bees (A. labialis) under 
a glass in the sun, two Stylops were produced: the bees seemed uneasy, 
and went up towards them, but evidently with caution, as if to fight ; 
and moving their antennz towards them, retreated. I once thought 
the bee attempted to seize it; but the oddest thing was to see the 
Stylops get on the body of the bee and ride about, the latter using 
every effort to throw his rider.” (Brit. Ent. fol. 226.) The bees 
were quite mad immediately before the Stylops came out; and 
when on the body of the bee, the Stylops kept its wings still and half 
erect. Professor Peck also states that a Xenos, which he placed 
under a watch glass, coursed round its prison with surprising trepida- 
tion as long as it lived, which was but a few hours. Mr. Dale also 
states, that all the Strepsiptera appear to be short-lived (Curtis, 433.), 
and Mr. Haliday confirms this (Jbid. 385.) Mr. Stephens also cap- 
tured a specimen of Elenchus tenuicornis whilst sweeping low herbage, 
and observed that it was very active, moving its pseudelytra with great 
rapidity. (Trans. Ent. Soc. vol. i. App. p. 65.) 
Mr. Pickering found a living Andrena in the imago state in a sand 
bank in the month of December (which had evidently never quitted 
* T have captured specimens of Stylops Melitta at large, in the months of April 
and May. 
