THE SUBJECT IN GENERAL 



I THINK I ought here to say why I propose to 

 limit myself to an account of a certain portion 

 only of the Hymenoptera. The reason for 

 this, in the first place, is that the section which 

 I have selected is the only one of which I have 

 any special knowledge ; it consists of the bees, 

 wasps, ants and sandwasps, four groups which 

 make up the stinging section of the order 

 or perhaps more accurately, which have 

 poison bags connected with their egg-laying 

 apparatus or ovipositor. Another reason for 

 their selection lies in their nesting habits ; these 

 enable one to get a further insight into their 

 economy and ways than can be obtained from 

 those of almost any other group or order at 

 any rate they make them comparatively easy 

 to study ; one can, so to say, find these little 

 creatures at home, whereas in most orders there 

 seems to be no definite home to which the indi- 

 B.W.A. 1 B 



