VOL. v.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 333 



mon mites ; in others I find seeming excrements of some small insect, with 

 the decayed parts of the dead insect ; in others white maggots. Some of these 

 maggots I took out of their theca or bag, and put them in warm places in the 

 sun ; and they thereupon grew something larger, but changed not shape nor 

 colour, but died. The rest I kept close in a box till the 8th of July present : 

 then I took one of them out of the wood, and opened the leaves, and felt 

 something stir, hearing also a humming noise like that of a bee ; and as soon 

 as I had opened the theca, a perfect bee flew out against my window, as 

 strongly as a common bee out of a hive, having much of the colour and size 

 of those when they are new flyers. Being pleased at the sight, I took five more, 

 being all I had left, and put them in a box into my pocket, to show them to 

 Lord Brouncker, before they were taken out, or had eaten their way out ; but 

 his Lordship not being at home, I brought them back again ; and they being 

 disturbed, they all eat themselves out ; and coming home they were all creep- 

 ing about my box, and are since dead there. They have all stings as other 

 bees have. I had some thoughts at first sight, by the yellowish circles under 

 their bellies, that they might be a sort of wasps ; but now am of opinion, that 

 they are common bees.* 



Extract of two Letters, written hy Francis Willughby, Esq. to the 

 Editor, from Jstrop, August 19, and from Midleton, Sept. 2, I67O, 

 containing his Observations on the Insects and Cartridges described 

 in the preceding Account, N" 65, j&. 2100. 



I had the good luck to find a great many of your cartridges in a rotten 

 willow; and, by the shape of the maggot, was most confident they would pro- 

 duce insects of the bee tribe. And this I should most certainly have foretold 

 you, had I ever received those you sent me by Mr. Le Hunt : But having only 

 that which you sent me before, I was so choice of it, that I durst not open it. 

 I think now I have found out the whole mystery; and if you please to send me 

 Dr. King's account, and one of your bees, I may perhaps add something; and 

 shall be glad to be instructed in any thing that has escaped me. I desire one 

 of the bees, because all mine being of a late hatch, and none of them yet 

 turned into nymphas, I fear I shall not see their last metamorphosis this year. 



* The species of bee mentioned in these papers is most accurately described by the ingenious 

 Mr. Kirby, in his work, entitled Monographia Apum Anglice. Mr. Kirby names it Apis Willughbiella. 

 A. flilvescente-pubescensj abdomine brevi, ano nigro, antennis masculis articulo extimo majori, 

 manibus dilatato-ciliatis. 



It is principally found in old willows. 



