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HYOSCYMUS-HYPERECINE^E 



convey facts rather than theories ; we have neverthe- 

 less thought it proper to notice the subject, which is 

 in fact one which materially influences every zoologi- 

 cal group. In the meantime it may be more condu- 

 cive to pur present purpose to notice the variation of 

 several of the more important organs, and the causes 

 upon which such variations are dependant. Although 

 the nature of the nourishment of all hymenopterous 

 insects be alike, it does not follow that the mouth of 

 all should be of an uniform structure; neither, although 

 consisting of the same parts and number of pieces, is 

 it requisite that they should be formed upon the same 

 model. The construction of the nest and the prepa- 

 ration and transporting of the materials employed 

 therein, as well as the form of the flowers from which 

 the different species collect their honey, are considera- 

 tions which modify, in a greater or less degree, the 

 structure of the organs of the mouth ; thus in those 

 species which collect honey from flowers for their 

 own support alone, as the Tenthredinidae, Ichneumo- 

 nidce, &c., the lower lip or tongue and the lower jaws 

 are short and narrow, but when the insect has to col- 

 lect a supply of food net only for its own support, but 

 also for that of its progeny, these parts are much 

 more developed, as is also the case when the honey 

 is placed at the bottom of tubular flowers, such as the 

 Labiates, &c., which are much frequented by some of 

 the long-tongued bees ; the same parts are short and 

 broad in the ants, wasps, &c., because they frequent 

 flowers composing the heads of the Umbelliferce, from 

 the almost flat surface of which they collect the honey, 

 as well as the sap flowing from the wounds of trees, 

 &c., without trouble ; moreover, this organ is thus 

 modified to serve as a trowel for the smoothening of 

 the inner surface of the cells in which the future pro- 

 geny are to be produced. Again, in those species 

 which have to search with much diligence for the 

 prey destined for the nourishment of their progeny, 

 the palpi (which appear to be organs of touch) are 

 elongated ; whereas in those whose larvae are nourished 

 with honey, they are short, the flowers being disco- 

 verable without difficulty by the sight or by the an- 

 tennae. Again, the mandibles vary in their form, 

 size, thickness, and toothing ; thus, in the females of 

 some genera, they are more robust than in the males, 

 the former sex being the sole architect of the nest, 

 and having to perform more laborious work than her 

 partner ; so in those females which have to cut the 

 materials for their nests, they are thicker, whilst in 

 those which have heavy burdens to carry, they are 

 longer ; but the most extraordinary instance of this 

 kind of variation in the last named organs occurs in 

 the neuters of some species of ants. Many observers 

 have remarked in the same nest neuters with large 

 and others with small jaws, the former being employed 

 in collecting food, and the latter remaining in the nest, 

 out of which they only make their appearance to 

 attack any enemy that may menace their community. 

 M. Carcel was witness of this fact (first observed by 

 the celebrated Huber), the former of whom was wit- 

 ness of the destruction of a scorpion byghese minute 

 but extraordinarily developed workers. M. Le Prieur 

 has also observed that the nests of the South Ameri- 

 can visiting ants (Atta, Latreille), the neuters of which 

 have short jaws, are defended by other workers with 

 exceedingly long mandibles ; which organs are em- 

 ployed in stopping those individuals which quit the 

 ranks and might thus be lost, showing them the right 

 way. Latreille, not being aware of this remarkable 



fact, has formed these long-jawed individuals into a 

 distinct genus under the name of Eciton. 



Many other equally interesting instances might be 

 given of the variations and causes of variations to 

 which not only these but other essential organs, as 

 the ovipositor, legs, &c., are subject ; but we have 

 advanced sufficient to prove that this branch of the 

 subject, which may without hesitation be laid before 

 the reader almost as an unopened field of inquiry, 

 possesses a very great degree of interest, sufficient to 

 repay the labour devoted to its elucidation. 



The following is the classification of this order, given 



to us by Latreille, to whom indeed we are greatly 



indebted for our knowledge of these insects, which 



were especial favourites with this celebrated author. 



Section I. TEREBRANTIA ; abdomen of the females 



furnished with a saw or borer. 

 Sub-sec. 1. Securifera; abdomen sessile furnished 

 with a saw ; larvae with feet. Families, Tcn- 

 thrinidae (saw-flies), Sinddae. 

 Sub-sec. 2. Pupivora ; abdomen pedunculated, 

 furnished with a borer ; larvae without feet. 

 Families, Evaniidte, Ichneumonidat, Cynipidce, 

 ChalcididcE, Proctotrupidee, ChrysididtE. 

 Section II. ACULEATA; abdomen of the females 



(and neuters) armed with a sting. 

 Sub-sec. 1. Heterogyna; females or neuters wing- 

 less. Families, Fot-micidte (social), Mutillidte 

 (solitary). 



Sub-sec. 2. Fossores; females winged, wings not 

 folded, basal joint of posterior tarsi simple. 

 Families, ScoliidcE, Sapygidce, Sphegida, Bern- 

 beddce, LarridtE, Nyssonida, Crabronidte. 

 Sub-sec. 3. Diploptera ; females (and neuters) 

 winged, wings folded. Families, Masaridce, 

 Vespidae. 



Sub-sec. 4. Mellifera ; females (and neuters) 

 winged, wings not folded, posterior tarsi with 

 the basal joint large and compressed into a 

 pollinigerous organ. Families, Andrenidce, 

 Apidce, with its subdivisions, for which see our 

 article A.PIDM. 



HYOSCYMUS (Linnaeus). A genus of annual 

 and perennial herbs, natives of Europe. One of them, 

 the H. niger, is the well-known henbane of British 

 wastes. These plants belong to they natural order 

 SokmecB. The henbane is a powerful narcotic, and, 

 when taken in any considerable quantity, proves 

 quickly poisonous to man, and most brute animals 

 except swine. 



HYPERECINEjE. A natural order of plants.of 

 which Hypericum is the type. It contains seven genera, 

 and above ninety species. The whole abound in a 

 resinous juice. Their leaves are all dotted, and, what 

 is very remarkable, the dots are often black, even 

 upon the yellow petals. They are herbs, undershrubs, 

 or trees ; the stems are jointed, and the intermediate 

 joints are round or tetragonal ; the leaves opposite 

 simple, entire, very seldom alternate or crenate, and 

 either sessile or short-stalked. The inflorescence is 

 mostly in terminal cymes ; the flowers are regular, 

 united, and in general yellow ; the fruit is capsular, 

 or baccate, many-valved and many-celled. The 

 plants of this order are found in the more temperate 

 parts of Europe and Asia, and often in the shady 

 parts of woods. The genus from which the order 

 receives its title is the Hypericum, or St. John's Wort 

 of English authors, seven or eight species of which 

 are natives of this kingdom. j 



