( xxxiii ) 



theory is that the insect, having entered the hive, was 

 .attacked and killed by the bees, and its wings bitten off, and 

 that they, finding a difficulty in pushing it out through the 

 entrance, entombed it in a wax cell. It does not appear to 

 me to be an insect likely to have been introduced into this 

 country, and yet, if indigenous, it is remarkable that such a 

 conspicuous insect has not been noticed before, for there is no 

 insect I have ever seen in New Zealand that in the slightest 

 degree resembles it, except the humble-bee, which is only of 

 recent introduction. I can hear of no one having noticed 

 such an insect before in New Zealand. It was only on the 

 first attempt to introduce the humble-bee to New Zealand 

 that it was brought out in its nest, and on that occasion the 

 bees were found all dead, and the box in which they came 

 was closed up again and laid aside for months, so that an 

 insect of this description could hardly have been introduced 

 with those nests. If it were not for the ocelli being in a line 

 instead of in a triangle, I should assume it to be a species of 

 Ccelioxys, Lat. 



If you can return me any of the insects it will be well not 

 to send them by post ; but if not giving you too much trouble, 

 would you see either Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., C.B., the 

 Agent-General for New Zealand, 7, Victoria Chambers, West- 

 minster, or the New Zealand Shipping Company, or Messrs. 

 Shaw & Savill, Albion Shipping Company, who would, I am 

 sure, get some passenger coming direct here (Christchurch) 

 to take charge of the box. 



Speaking of the humble-bees, it was marvellous how 

 rapidly they increased after bemg introduced here. The year 

 after they were turned out they were quite common around 

 Christchurch, and were even seen fifty miles and more away. 

 The clover is now producing abundance of seed, and the 

 humble-bees are all over the island. 



Yours faithfully, 

 H. Goss, Esq., Secretary, ^^^h. Wm. Fkkeday. 



Entomological Society of London. 



Mr. J. J. Walker, K.N., observed that he had seen a large 

 number of insects at sea about 150 miles off the coast of 



PROC, ENT. SOC. LOND. III., 1889. F 



