244 

 NOTES ON OUR SAW-FLIES AND HORN-TAILS. 



W. Hague Harrington. 



Head Jf.th March, 1885. 



Tenthredinid.e. — When asked by our Soiree Committee to pre- 

 pare a short paj^er for this evening I furnished thsra with the above 

 title, thinking that I would be able to i)repare a list of our local 

 Tenthredinida? and Uroceridse and to preface it with a few remarks on 

 some of the genera and species. A more careful examination of the 

 material in my collection convinces me that it would be injudicious to 

 attempt the preparation of a list this yeai', and that by deferring it 

 until after another season's collecting it may be very much more com- 

 plete. It may then even be possible to publish one of all our Hyme- 

 nopetra. 



To show how incomplete our knowledge of the species still is I 

 may mention that of seventy-two species of saw-flies which I have 

 determined there are only fifteen in which both sexes are represented. 

 Of the remaining fifty-seven there are forty-eight represented by females 

 and nine by males. It will thus be seen that as regards the male 

 insect only one-third of my species is complete. This scarcity of the 

 males seems to hold throughout the order (hymenoptera). My remarks 

 this evening will therefore be very brief, and confined to a few of the 

 more important species. 



Cimhex Americana, Leach. — This, our largest saw-fly, is not un- 

 common some seasons, the larva? being frequently found on elms, 

 although, not being gregarious like many species, they do no noticeable 

 injury. 



Trichiosoma triangularum, Kirhj. — At first sight this might be 

 mistaken for one of the varieties of the last-named species, but it is 

 smaller, more hairy, and differs in several points of structure. I have 

 only taken one male, but have found large green, cimbex like larvje 

 which were appai'ently those of this insect. 



Ahia Kennicotti, Nort. — Mr. Guignard has kindly given me speci- 

 mens of this bee-like species, which were, I believe, taken by Mr.^ 

 Fletcher last spring. 



