^08 Mr. W. E. Shuckard's Descnption of the 



XLIII. ^ Descrijifion of the superior TFivg of the Hymeno- 

 ptera, ivith a vfeiv to give a f tiller mid more certain Z)e- 

 velojwtent to the Alary Si/stem of Jiirine. By W. E. 

 Shuckard. 



[Read March 2,1835.] 



Plate XVIII. 



TnK anterior or superior wings of the Hymenoptera were first ap- 

 plied by Jurine the elder of Geneva to their distribution into genera, 

 from the relative disposal of some of the nervures with which they 

 are observed to be more or less intersected. He had a strong par- 

 tiality for this order, and feeling dissatisfied with the characters de- 

 rived from the mouth made use of by Fabricius, as evidently tending 

 to mislead, — for they even misled their celebrated author, — and as be- 

 ing difficult of access, and in unique insects dangerous to investigate, 

 he was induced to seek for external characters which would prove 

 more satisfactory in their results and not absolutely demand a skilful 

 or practised hand in their inspection, a correct eye being all that 

 was required ; and after either a laborious examination, or by a 

 lucky chance, or possibly led by the hint given by one of his prede- 

 cessors, Harris or Kirbj^ who had both however neglected to 

 elaborate the discovery, he found that the similarity of the neuration 

 of the superior wings grouped these insects into divisions, the species 

 whereof, in the majority of instances, agreed in general structure, 

 habits, and oeconomy. He however limited his use of these nervures 

 to the longitudinal and transverse ones placed beyond the stigma of 

 the wing, and forming the radial or marginal, and the cubital or 

 submarginal cells, with the one or two recurrent nervures springing 

 from the latter. This system has since been very generally followed, 

 and almost exclusively used in that division of the aculeate Hymen- 

 optera which comprises the Fossores, or burrowers, but in the other 

 divisions it is sometimes of primary, and at others of subsidiary im- 

 portance. 



The appended comparative view of what other writers have done 

 with respect to the neuration of the wing will show how far I have 

 diverged from them, and they from each other. The inconvenience 

 of some of the systems will be observed from several nervures and 

 cells having double names, as well as from others being left un- 

 named, or named collectively, which tends to create both confusion 

 and doubt. 



