On new Indian Aculeate Ilymenoptera. o'J3 



or wLetlier the fisli were pursuing or being pursued by some 

 otiier creatures. Food must have been abundant, since a good 

 many birds of some unknown species were present in the near 

 distance, and there were great herds of small dolphins which 

 made the water boil again around the ship. Annectant be- 

 tween the skijijacks (Hemirhamphidte) and the flying-herrings 

 (Exocoetidai) is Mr. H. W. Fowler's genus Ilemiexoccetus '^ . 

 Less skilful again, but still, perhaps, foreshadowing the 

 flying leaps of Exocoetus^ are the shoals of herrings and 

 mackerel which on calm nights stir British waters into 

 phosphorescence. 



Instances of the jumping of fish of numerous kinds above 

 the surface of the element in which they live are, as is well 

 known, frequent. 



One of the most interesting is that afforded by a close ally 

 of the flying-fish, the little gar- or needle-fish {Belone), 

 which came under the observation of Moseley '\. These fish, 

 he writes, when hotly pursued by the " skipjacks," " dashed 

 out of the water, and by violent lashing of their tails managed 

 to keep themselves above the water in a nearly upright position 

 for a distance of several yards as they moved swiftly from 

 the danger.'" Tlie leap of the gar-fish as well as those of 

 the whip-ray and king-fish have been beautifally figured by 

 Mr. J. Turner-Turner J. 



LVI. — New Species of Indian Aculeate Ilymenoptera. 

 By Major C. G. NueSE, Indian Army. 



The insects dealt with in the present paper form part of a 

 collection made by me during the last eighteen montlis. The 

 greater part of the collection was made at Deesa, where I was 

 stationed most of the time ; but a number of Hymenoptera 

 obtained during a two months' leave to Kashmir are also 

 included, as well as a collection made by a native, whom I 

 employed for two mouths at Mount Abu in 1901. 



Deesa is situated at the extreme north of the province of 

 Gujarat, being about 40 miles distant from Mount Abu. 

 The climate is very\liot and dry, and the rainfall, which in 

 ordinary years averages from 25 to 30 inches, has been very 



* * Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Pliiladelphia,' 

 April 1901, pp. 293-291. 



t Op. cit. p. 414. 



X ' The Giant f i$h of Florida,' 1902, plates opposite titlepage and 

 pages 66 & 142. 



