49 



head and thorax dwells under stones and dead timber. It 

 represents the "fire ant" of South America, and, like the 

 others, inflicts very painful stings. The Mutillid^: are 

 numerous. The wingless females of the genus Mutilla, repre- 

 sented by fifteen species, resemble the Formicidce greatly. 

 Another genus, a description of which I have not met with, and 

 therefore shall designate provisionally under the name Myr- 

 miloidae, closely mimics the Myrmicidce in form of body, wings, 

 and activity of movements, but differs in having a much smaller 

 head, and the antennae thread-like and unbroken. They fly 

 about the lights at night, and can sting well. Eleven species 

 have been collected. The genus Thynnus, peculiar to Australia, 

 is represented by 29 species, which are very interesting. In 

 Dr. Duncan's " Transformations of Insects," 3rd Ed., p. 217, it is 

 said : — " Verreaux states . . . The male flies about, and 

 " carries the female with him, paying her the greatest atten- 

 tion, and placing her in flowers, so that she can obtain her 

 " nourishment. Frequently other males, which have not the 

 "happiness of possessing a wingless companion, come near and 

 " appear enchanted with her company. Of course they all 

 " become jealous, and should her protector be unable to conquer the 

 " others, in order to disappoint them he eats her u/p"* This being 

 so exquisite a piece of insect romancing a la Buffon, it is 

 hardly necessary to* state that I have never observed anything 

 of the kind. What has been observed is simply this : The 

 wingless female is so different in appearance from the 

 male that hardly any amount of experience would enable a 

 naturalist, seeing her for the first time, to recognise her as 

 such, being nearly half the dimensions of the male, and gifted 

 with only very short legs. As soon as hatched she climbs to 

 the top of a high stalk of grass, &c, turns her head downwards 

 and her abdomen away from her support in a sharp angle (say 

 40 to 50 degrees), thus awaiting the pleasure of some male. 

 The latter flitting close by, whisks her up without any stopping, 

 and carries her about while following his usual avocations. The 

 female clings to his waist or legs until copulation is completed, 

 when she drops off and seeks among the grasses, &c, where to- 

 deposit her eggs. 



The Sphegidje were much more numerous, it appears to me, 

 than of late. Then some stray or bold individuals often 

 invaded the interior of cottages for the purpose of building 

 their nests of mud on some rafter or in the corner of a window ; 

 now the appearance of one is almost an event of note, except 

 near permanent watercourses. There are four species of 

 Scolia, three being large insects ; and one of Ammophila, which 

 digs holes into the soil with great assiduity, stocking each with 



* The italics are mine. — O.T. 



