5o6 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall on 



found together on a certain vetch, but it was a bit of luck 

 gettins: the Locustid there too. 



33. Mimetic Resemblance of Mantispid.e to Hymen- 

 OPTEIIA. (E. B. P.) 



Prof. W. M. Wheeler, of the University of Texas, was, 

 so far as I am aware, the first to observe the mimicry of 

 Hymenoptera by MantkpidiB. " While studying the prairie 

 insect fauna of south-eastern Nebraska early in the 

 summer of 1888," he observed that Mantisiia hrnnnea 

 (Say.) closely resembled Polistes variatus (Cress), resting 

 half-concealed like the wasp "on the petioles in the 

 terminal leaf-clusters of the golden rods." He was at 

 first quite deceived, and took care to avoid being stung. 

 " The colouring of the J^olisks is carefully copied ; the body 

 is banded with yellow, brown, and black, the wings are 

 smoky brown, and the legs yellow. While lying in wait 

 the Mantisjh'i'' closely appose their large raptorial fore-legs 

 to the lateral faces of the prothorax, which, when these 

 appendages are extended, is so narrow as to resemble but 

 slightly the wasp's thorax. The wings are carried in the 

 same manner by both insects. Several times during the 

 course of a week I found these two insects . . . resting 

 in the same position, both intent upon the slaughter of 

 the many insects . . . which swarmed about the rank 

 vegetation" (Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Wisconsin, U.S.A., 

 April 1889, p. 217). Professor Wheeler considers it to 

 be an example of protective mimicry. 



Mr. R. Shelford has recently observed that at least four 

 species of Mantisj^a from Borneo and Singapore are beauti- 

 fully mimetic of Ichneumons, Bracons, or Aculeates. His 

 observations are now being published by the Zoological 

 Society. I sent a photograph of some of his examples to 

 Mr. Marshall, who replied with the observation printed 

 below. These interesting records constitute, so far as I 

 am aware, a distinct addition to the list of insect mimics 

 of the Hymenoptera. Mr. McLachlan, whom I have con- 

 sulted, writes that ho cannot find anything further recorded 

 about such resemblance on the ^tirioi Man tispkhv. There 

 can be little <loubt, after these observations from three such 

 widely-different regions, that mimicry of the Hymenoptera 

 will prove to be prevalent in the group. Mr. Shelford and 



