ON ORIENTAL ENTOMOLOGY. 127 
The life for those who are born 
The son of the sun-god, Ra 
Osirtasen 
The friend of the spirits of An 
Ever living 
The golden Hor 
The life for those who are born 
Khepher-ka-ra 
Has executed this work 
In the beginning of the 30 years’ cycle 
He, the dispenser of life, for evermore. 
The figures of these animals on the east and west sides of 
the monument stand out in sharp and clear relief from the 
granite in which they are incised, being filled up with a 
coating of clay cells. The north and south sides of the 
obelisk are completely covered by it, so that the insect 
architect has rendered nearly all of the ancient carving, as 
well as the granite itself, invisible.”” Once more, in reference 
to Lycopolis, p. 130 of the same work: ‘‘ Nor must the 
wonderful labours of hymenopterous insects be left un- 
noticed that have selected the western side of the cliff, 
as doubtless the most sheltered, for their abode, and com- 
pletely covered it in one particular spot with masses of clay 
cells.” 
Chrysis nobilis is a small bee, with blue metallic body, very Chrysis 
much like a bluebottle in size and general appearance, fre- ” we 
quenting the flowering shrubs in the public gardens of Cairo, 
in those of the Palace “of Gezeedeh, and the mimosas bordering 
the fields in the neighbourhood of Minieh. On referring to 
my cabinet, I find that one specimen is named Stilbum 
amethystinum, and it is possible that, on closer examination, 
I may discover that I have both kinds, as this last-named 
and Chrysis nobilis are nearly-allied species, and of similar 
appearance. Among the wasps may be noticed two black- 
bodied species—Humenes Hottentotta, from Cairo; and the Gems | 
larger H. tinctor, from a field to the south of Minieh, both 
caught in the month of December, 1883. I have a third 
species (probably a Eumenes also) from the banks of the 
Pharpar, in April, 1882. Lastly, I have a small portion of a 
tree-wasp’s nest that I found on a shrub alongside the high 
road between Mersina and Tarsus, on the 29th of April. 
Judging from the size of the cells, it can only have been con- 
structed by a small species. 
The following table will serve to some extent to show 
