ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



?9 



itself to every one who is acquainted with the vast discrepancy 

 of the sexes in this species. It is also remarkable from giving 

 a positive contradiction to theory, which makes the right side 

 the nobler ; and adduces in evidence that in all cases of herma- 

 phroditism amongst insects the right side is male. In my 

 humble opinion, Sir, the collecting of facts is more valuable 

 than the constructing of crude theories ; for the latter too much 

 resembles building upon sand, which the first tide washes away, 

 and in as far as one word of truth is worth a million of false- 

 hoods. Instances of hermaphroditism amongst the Hyme- 

 noptera are rare. I possess a Cimbex Griffinii, in which the 

 left anterior leg only is female ; and a specimen of Andrena 

 fulvescens, (Kirby, MSS.,) in which the sexes are intimately 

 intermingled. The antenna on the right side is female, on the 

 left male, but although having thirteen joints, not longer than 

 that of the female. The nose is only coloured in streaks; 

 [in the male the entire clypeus is of a milky colour ;] the 

 abdomen is female, having only six segments ; the podex is 

 pi*ecisely as in the females, whereas there are seven ventral 

 plates ; and in the legs the male conformation predominates, 

 although also (there) there is a struggle between the sexes for 

 precedence. 



The instances of the occurrence of rare insects are that of 

 Hyleccstus dermestoides, (Fab.,) which is marked as foreign in 

 Stephens's nomenclature, but of which Mr. T. Desvignes took 

 seven specimens in Sherwood Forest on the 1st of May, one 

 of which, through his kindness, I possess. Of these, six were 

 male, and only one female. He also took the Elater rufipennis, 

 (Hoffmans,) in some numbers; and my friend Mr. F. Smith has 

 received a specimen of Carabus inlricatus, (Lin.) included 

 amongst many specimens of Carabus catenulatus, (Fab.) col- 

 lected upon Horsley Downs, by a country friend of his. I should 

 have observed, that the specimen above described, of the herma- 

 phrodite Anthropliora retusa, was captured at Barnes, by Mr. 

 F. Smith. 



If these notices are worth your acceptance they are wholly 

 at your service. Yours very truly, 



31, Robert Street, King's Road, Chelsea, \V. E. SHUCKARD. 



June 23, 1836. 



