YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION, 23 



YOEKSHIRE HYMENOPTEEA: 



REPORT ON PRESENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE, AND FIRST LIST 

 OF SPECIES. 



By WM. DENISON ROEBUCK, Leeds, 

 Secretary of the Yorkshire Nattiralists' Union. 



In contributing one of the series of annual reports upon the 

 entomology of the county which is contemplated by the Entomo- 

 logical Section, it seems advisable, in the case of an order so little 

 studied as the Hymenoptera have been, to prepare in the first 

 instance a preliminary report upon the present state of our 

 knowledge of their distribution in Yorkshire, including a list of the 

 species" already on record for the county, so as to form a basis or 

 starting-point from which Yorkshire hymenopterists may commence 

 their investigations. 



It also seemed desirable for the benefit of members who may 

 be induced to join in the study of this order, and also for the 

 importaiit purpose of reminding our entomologists (as they need 

 reminding) of the great deficiencies which there are in our knowledge, 

 to make special mention of every well-marked group included 

 in the order, under each group giving a brief sketch of the 

 condition of its literature where there are no available British 

 monographs; also stating the number or estimated number of 

 British species according to the most recent authorities; and 

 giving references to published directions for collection and preser- ■ 

 vation. To these prefatory remarks succeeds in each case a list 

 of the species already recorded for the county, with localities and 

 other details, and in the case of book-records full references, 

 these records being inserted merely to render the present paper 

 complete, some of them requiring confirmation and verification. 



Fortunately it is in my power — thanks to the researches of 

 Mr. Frederick Smith, F.Z.S., of the British Museum, our foremost 

 hymenopterist, who has collected much in our county, more 

 especially round Wakefield — to give a resiDectably large list of 

 Yorkshire Bees, amounting to five-twelfths of the British list, and 



