JBfrttanarjj at &mmatett Mature. 341 



sharp a key as to be heard at an immense 

 distance. During their residence among the 

 trees they are observed to be particularly 

 noisy on the approach of rain. 

 IIYLOBATES. [See APE, Long-armed.] 



HYMENOPTERA. An order of insects, 

 distinguished by four naked membranous 

 wings, and comprehending many interesting 

 groups ; as Bees, Wasps, Ants, Ichneumon- 

 flies, &c. The anterior wings are usually 

 much larger than the posterior ; and the 

 nervures, or hard framework on which the 

 membrane of the wing is extended, are but 

 few. The mouth is furnished with man- 

 dibles and maxillae, and the abdomen ia 

 terminated either by an ovipositor or a sting. 

 The larvae of some of these insects greatly re- 

 semble those of the order Lepidoptera (.But- 

 terflies and Moths"), but differ in the number 

 of their legs, &c. Most hymenopterous insects i 

 when in the perfect state are constantly re- j 

 sorting to flowers, either for the purpose of ; 

 gathering honey, or of preying upon the less 

 powerful species of their own class. Hy- j 

 menopterous insects love the light of the < 

 sun ; they take wing only during the day- 

 time, remaining at rest in the night, and in I 

 dull and wet weather ; and it must be ad- j 

 mitted that they excel all other insects in 

 the number and variety of their instincts, j 

 which are wonderfully displayed in the 

 methods employed by them in providing not 

 merely for their own welfare, but for the 

 comfort and future wants of their offspring. 



In the adult state these insects live chiefly 

 on the honey and pollen of flowers, and the 

 juices of fruits. The larvae of the Saw-flies | 

 (Tenthredinidcc), under the form of false 

 caterpillars and slugs, are leaf-eaters, and ' 

 are oftentimes productive of much injury j 

 to plants. The larvae of the JLipJiydriadte, i 

 and of the Horn-tails ( Uroceruke), are borers ; 

 and wood-eaters, and consequently injurious 

 to the plants inhabited by them. Pines and 

 firs suffer most from their attacks. Some of 

 the warty excrescences on the leaves and 

 steins of plants, such as oak-apples, gall- 

 nuts, and the like, arise from the punctures 

 of four-winged gall-flies (DipMfpididat), 

 and the irritation produced by their larvae, 

 which reside in these swellings. The injury 

 caused by them is, comparatively, of very 

 little importance, while, on the other hand, 

 we are greatly indebted to these insects for 

 the gall-nuts that are extensively used in 

 colouring, and in medicine, and form the 

 chief ingredient in ink. We may, therefore, 

 write down these insects among the benefac- 

 tors of the human race. Immense numbers 

 of caterpillars and other noxious insects are 

 preyed upon by internal enemies, the larvas 

 of the ichneumon-flies (Evaniadce, Ichneu~ 

 monidce, and Chalcididce), which live upon 

 the fat of their victims, and finally destroy 

 them. Some of these ichneumon-flies (7oA- 

 neumoncs ovulorinn) are extremely small, 

 and confine their attacks to the eggs of other 

 insects, which they puncture, and the little 

 creatures produced from the latter find a 

 sufficient quantity of food to supply all their 

 wants within the larger eggs they occupy. 

 The ruby-taiLs (Chrysididce), and the cuckoo- 



bees (Ifylceus, Sphecodes, Ifomada, Melecta, 

 Epeolus, Ccelioxys, and Stelis), lay their eggs 

 in the provisioned nests of other insects, 

 whose young are robbed of their food by the 

 earlier hatched intruders, and are conse- 

 quently starved to death. The wood-wasps 

 (Crabronidce~), and numerous kinds of sand- 

 wasps (Larradcc, JSembicidue, Sphegidce, Pom- 

 pilidoe, and Scoliadce), mud-wasps (Pelope.us), 

 the stinging velvet-ants (Mutilfadce), and 

 the solitary wasps ( Odynerus and Eumenes), 

 are predaceous in their habits, and provision 

 their nests with other insects, which serve 

 for food to their young. The food of ants 

 consists of animal and vegetable juices ; and 

 though these industrious little animals 

 sometimes prove troublesome by their fond- 

 ness for sweets, yet, as they seize and destroy 

 many insects also, their occasional trespasses 

 may well be forgiven. Even the proverbially 

 irritable paper-making wasps and hornets 

 (Polistcs and Vespd) are not without their 

 use in the economy cf nature ; for they feed 

 their tender offspring not only with vege- 

 table juices, but with the soft parts of other 

 insects, great numbers of which they seize 

 and destroy for this purpose. The solitary 

 and social bec9(Andreiiadce anfLApidce) live 

 wholly on the honey and pollen of flowers, 

 and feed their young with a mixture of the 

 same, called bee-bread. Various kinds of 

 bees arc domesticated for the sake of their 

 stores of wax and honey, and are thus made 

 to contribute directly to the comfort and 

 convenience of man, in return for the care 

 and attention afforded them. Honey and 

 wax are also obtained from several species 

 of wild bees (Melipona, Trigona, and Tetra- 

 gonal, essentially different from the domes- 

 ticated kinds. While bees and other hy- 

 menopterous insects seek only the grati- 

 fication of their own inclinations, in their 

 frequent visits to flowers, they carry on their 

 bodies the yellow dust or pollen from one 

 blossom to another, and scatter it over the 

 parts prepared to receive and be fertilized 

 by it, whereby they render an important 

 service to vegetation. 



HYRAX. A curious genus of small rab- 

 bit-like animals, inhabiting rocky and moun- 

 tainous districts in Africa and Syria. The 

 best known species are the Cape Hyrax, 



K001 RABBIT.- (1YRAX CAPBN8IS.) 



which inhabits Southern Africa ; and the 

 Syrian Hyrax, which is common to Syria, 

 Arabia, and Abyssinia The CAPE HYKAX 

 {Hyrax Capensis) resides in the hollows of 

 rocks, leaping with great agility from 

 crag to crag, though its walking or 

 general pace is by no means quick. In size 



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