The Zoologist— March, 1867. 039 



Life-Histories of Saivflies. Translated from the Dutch of M. S. C. 

 Snellen van Vollenhoven, by J. W. May, Esq. 



(Continued from Zool. 9835.) 

 ClMBEX LATERALIS, Leach. 



Imago, Leach, Zool. Misc. iii. p. 109, No. 2. Curtis, Brit. Ent. i. 



49. DeGeer, Memoires (Goetze's trans.), ii. 2, p. 232, pi. xxxiii. 



figs. 17 — 22. Harlig, Blatt-und Holzwespen, p. 69, var. 2. 

 Larva undescribed. 



Cimbex hirsutus aeneo-niger, abdominis margine, ventre, tibiis 

 tarsisque fulvis. 



The investigation of the species of the genus Cimbex seems to be 

 attended with considerable difficulty. Seeing that we are so little 

 acquainted with the life-histories of these large savvflies, I am disposed 

 to be doubtful about the inference to be drawn from the statements of 

 Bechstein (Forstinsecten, p. 444), namely, that the larvae are here 

 and there very common in Germany, and that in certain districts they 

 occur in very large numbers. Our ignorance of their natural history 

 may, doubtless, in part be accounted for by the fact that the larva? 

 very frequently remain two winters in the cocoon, and are moreover 

 very subject to the attacks of parasites. 



With the view of increasing our knowledge of the habits of these 

 insects, and more especially of determining the true relationships 

 between the larvoe and imagos with which we are already acquainted, 

 I think we should not hesitate about publishing the results of our 

 investigations, even although they may not be complete in every point, 

 for by thus accumulating a number of various observations we may at 

 last be enabled to get at a true knowledge of the subject. Acting on 

 this idea, I now give as good a description and life-history as I am 

 able, in which there are many gaps, it is true, but in the hope that 

 these may eventually be filled up either by myself or other 

 - observers. 



Besides my inability to give any account either of the egg or of the 

 pupa of Cimbex lateralis, there are two other imperfections in my 

 description, namely, the want of an accurate knowledge of the female, 

 and considerable uncertainty as to whether the larva varies or not in 

 colour. To begin with the last point, I will stale how many larvae 

 I have had in my possession. On the 5th of October, 1858, 1 received 



