294 Mr. F. Smith's Notes, ^c. 



was delighted to see two specimens of the Nomada fully developed 

 and active in two of the cells. The bees which I have examined 

 are in different states of development. 



These observations are, I regret to say, far from complete, and 

 it will be for future observation to clear up several points in the 

 economy of these insects. I should observe, that the cells con- 

 taining the Nomada; had a mere filmy coating or cocoon, closely 

 resembling goldbeater's skin, in which the insect was found. I 

 should, therefore, suppose the parasite to be either hatched sooner 

 than the bee and to devour the provision previous to the develop- 

 ment of the latter, or that the parasite removes the egg of the 

 bee and deposits her own in its place ; or, it may be, that the bee 

 having deposited a quantity of food previous to laying her egg, 

 the parasite deposits hers, and the bee then discontinues her 

 labours in that nest and commences another ; for when the size of 

 the two insects is considered, the food required by the bee would 

 be, I should conclude, considerably more than what vs^ould be re- 

 quired by the parasite. These theories I hope in time to clear 

 up ; in the mean time I lay before the Society such information as 

 I am possessed of, and there being so much to unravel, I hope 

 those gentlemen who have more time to look after these things 

 than myself will be induced to attempt the solution of the diffi- 

 culty. I, for my own part, shall not be idle. 



In April 1841 I found some specimens of the supposed larva; 

 of *' Meloe proscarabceus" in profusion, in the flowers of a wild 

 plant ; as many as twenty in some flowers. I might have col- 

 lected thousands. This was in Bishop's Wood, Hampstead. My 

 reason for exhibiting them is, that in June of the same year I 

 found a similar insect or larva? attached to the underside of the 

 abdomen of Nomada Schdfferella. They are evidently distinct 

 species, different in form and colour, one being black, the other 

 yellow. 



Having stated at a previous meeting of the Society that I had 

 bred the same species of parasite from several distinct species, 

 and even genera of insects, I now exhibit five specimens of a 

 species of Crypfus, three bred from the cocoons of Epipone levipes, 

 the other two from the cocoon of Trichiosoma lucorum ; they are 

 all females, and on the closest examination I believe them to be 

 the same species. 



