490 Description of a new British Wasp, 



Long. 6. poll. 6 lin. Rostr. ] 1 lin. Al. 3 poll. 3 lin. Cauda, 2 poll . 

 lOlin. Tarsi 11 poll. 



Habitat in Zanzibaria. 

 H. gambe'nsis G. F. Gray. Mas. Supra niger, subtus albus; alis cauda- 

 que fuscis; scapularibus et tergo cassiis; alarum tectricibus remigibusque 

 albomarginatis. — Femina. Cinereus, subtus totus rufo-albus ; alis cau- 

 daque fusco-nigris ; tectricibus remigibusque rufescenti-albomarginatis j 

 rostro pedibusque plumbeis, illo albomarginato. 



Maris long. 7^ poll. Rostr. 1 poll. Al. 4 poll. Cauda, 3 poll. 4 lin. 

 Tarsi, 13 lin. 



Lanius ganibcnsis Licht. Vcrz. Doub. Zool. Mus. Bert. 1823, p. 48. 

 Malaconotus mcllissimus Sw. B. of IV. Afr., vii. p. 240. pi. 23. 



Habitat in Gambia. 



I cannot end this paper, without expressing my surprise, 

 that it has been left for me to show these differences in a 

 genus established by Mr. Swainson ; as that indefatigable 

 ornithologist is ever eager to prove the specific distinctions 

 of such birds, as have hitherto been considered identical, but 

 which are found in various localities, as is the case with seve- 

 ral birds in the volume now referred to. 



Am. 15. 1837. 



Art. X. Description of a new British Wasp; with an Account 

 of its Developement. By W. E. Shuckard, Esq., V. P. Ent. 

 Soc, Librarian to the Royal Society. 



It very rarely happens that the first record of a new creature 

 in the annals of science contains more than merely its technical 

 description. I consequently esteem myself happy in being 

 able, in this instance, to add some traits of the economy, and a 

 particular and consecutive history of the gradual developement 

 from the grub to the perfect insect, of the little animal I here 

 for the first time introduce. My friend Mr. F. Smith, to 

 whom I am indebted for the particulars, as well as for speci- 

 mens of the insect, during a collecting excursion in the 

 vicinity of Blackwater, upon the borders of Hampshire, in 

 July, 1836, captured the rare O'smia leucomelana Kirby, 

 which he observed in abundance, and detected entering the 

 ends of the dead sticks of the common bramble, which it is the 

 custom in that part of the country to use in making mud-wall 

 enclosures. From his observation, it appears that this insect 

 excavates the pith from the stick, and constructs its nests 

 within die tube thus formed. It was not until his return to 

 London that he ascertained the value of his capture, although 

 he was successful enough in the first instance to secure both 

 sexes of the bee, and, by this lucky accident, confirmed a 

 supposition I had long entertained as to the specific identity of 

 the sexes of this insect, the male of which was not before 



