1893.] : 167 



distinct enough frorn our other species ; it is most closely allied to rufa, as the ab- 

 domen has the somewhat shining surface and the blact hairs which belong to that 

 species, but it has also the basal segment distinctly longer, in fact as long as that of 

 germanica, the markings not inclining to brown at their edges, and the clypeus 

 marked as in that species, although its anterior angles are produced as in rufa. It 

 differs, however, from either in having the scape of the antennae flavous in front ; 

 this last character allies it to the tree wasps, sylvestris and norvegt'ca, but the absence 

 of the extended cheek between the eye and the mandible separates it at once from 

 either of these. I have oftened wondered if these females could be a cross between 

 sylvestris and rtifa, but if they were I think the cheek would probably be interme- 

 diate in length between the two, whereas, in no case have I found it longer than in 

 normal rufa. If entomologists in the districts from which arhorea has been recorded 

 would carefully search for workers with short cheeks and yellow fronted scapes, this 

 species might become better understood, at present it remains more or less a mystery ; 

 the female is so like the other species that it might easily be passed over, and the 

 worker no doubt is similar to it except in size. — E. Satjndees, St. Ann's, Woking]. 



Early dates for Hymenoptera. — About Woking several Hymenoptera have put 

 in, as far as I know, unprecedentedly early appearances this year. Megachile cir- 

 cumcineta $ was taken as early as April 27th ; Megachile Willughbiella ^ occurred 

 on May 3rd ; Pompilus gibbus May 3rd ; Formica rufa, $ and $ , the latter winged, 

 in some numbers May 4th. These for this country are, I believe, quite phenomenal 

 dates ; nearly all these species would naturally appear about June. — Edward 

 Saunders, St. Ann's, Woking : May \Uh, 1893. 



Lecanium robiniarum, Doug. — Eecently, Mr. C. H. Tyler Townsend sent from 

 Las Cruces, New Mexico, several scales of a Lecanium, which were doing much 

 injury to Eobinia pseudacacia there ; and these proved to be quite identical with 

 L. robiniarum, described from specimens from Hungary {cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., i, n. s. 

 p. 318), where also they do much damage to the Eobinia. This tree being a native 

 of the United States, the Coccid in New Mexico may be considered as in its native 

 land, and it has, doubtless, been transported with the tree to Hungary, where it 

 appears to flourish. 



Mr. Newstead having made examples from each country the subjects of com- 

 parative examination, finds that the original description may be amended by adding 

 " Legs long, slender ; tibise and tarsi of nearly equal length ; trochanter with a long 

 hair ; digitules of the tarsi slender, of the claws stronger and dilated at the base. 

 Derma with a very fine reticulation and numerous clear cellular spaces ; the reticula- 

 tion, however, is very easily oblitei-ated in caustic potash, and disappears in some 

 places entirely after mounting in Canada balsam." — J. W. Douglas, Lewisham : 

 June 8th, 1893. 



Icerya agyptiaca, Doug., in India.— A number of specimens of this destructive 

 Coccid were collected by Miss Tomlin near Madras during December, 1892, and were 

 recently forwarded to me, with several other species, for investigation. Knowing 

 how very destructive the species has been to orange trees in Alexandria, I forwarded 



P 2 



