2680 Insects. 



their burrows, provisioning their nests, and thus fulfilling the duties assigned to 

 them uncheered by the attentions of the opposite sex. My solution of this problem 

 is, that the female Halicti which appear late in the autumn are impregnated at that 

 time by the males, and hybernate during the winter, arousing, to fulfil these purposes 

 of economy, with the first warm days of spring. This will probably appear at first 

 sight a startling proposition ; but my observations have led me to adopt this opinion, 

 and such is I believe the true history of Halictus. On no occasion did I ever meet 

 with male Halicti until the summer, whilst throughout the spring months the females 

 have abounded ; and every Hymenopterist must have observed the multitudes of male 

 Halicti which are to be met with during the autumnal months. The same observa- 

 tions will probably apply to the genus Sphecodes, and I am inclined to believe that 

 their history will prove to be identical with that of Halictus. Much has been written 

 on the habits of the Hymenoptera, but I doubt if anything more remarkable than the 

 history I have detailed has hitherto been discovered. That social Hymenoptera are 

 impregnated in the autumn, and pass the winter in a torpid state, has long been 

 known and proved, as in cases of the ant, the wasp, the humble bee, &c. ; but I am 

 not aware that any solitary wasp or bee has been observed to possess a similar eco- 

 nomy. I readily admit that my observations may prove hereafter to be founded in 

 error ; but until direct evidence is produced to the contrary I shall hold to my opinion, 

 it not being the result of a hasty conclusion, or any desire to court fame by promul- 

 gating a novelty, but the result of observations made during a series of years of ardent 

 and constant attention to the subject ; yet, notwithstanding all my care, all my appli- 

 cation to the subject, since " Nature is only communicative at intervals," I may still 

 have failed to meet with one of those intervals where the true history of the Halicti 

 was to be discovered. — Id. 



Increase and Decrease in the Weight of a Hive of Bees. — A hive (a last year's 

 swarm), suspended from a Salter's circular balance, has given me an interesting chart, 

 through the working months, of its increase and decrease, by means of self-acting 

 mechanism. Below is a table of the weights through May, June and July : the de- 

 crease from that time to the present has been gradual. Two fine swarms having 

 issued from this hive renders the table more interesting than it otherwise might have 

 been. 



Observations taken «|9p.h. 



Date. Tbs. oz. Weather. Date. lhs. oz. Weather. 



May 5 16 9 Fair, warm. May 19 18 8 Fair. 



„ 6 16 8 Fair. „ 20 18 12 Fair. 



„ 7 16 6 Rain. „ 21 19 2 Fair. 



„ 8 16 8 Fair. „ 22 19 7 Fair. 



„ 9 16 13 Fair. „ 23 19 3 Wet. 



„ 10 17 6 Fair. „ 24 19 8 Fair, warm. 



„ 11 18 Fair. „ 25 19 12 Fair, warm. 



„ 12 18 7 Fair. „ 26 20 6 Fair. 



„ 13 18 8 Showers. „ 27 21 12 Fair, overcast. 



„ 14 18 15 Fair. „ 28 22 14 Fair. 



„ 15 19 5 Fair. „ 29 24 10 Fair. 



„ 16 18 14 Wet. „ 30 24 8 Fair. 



„ 17 18 7 Wet. „ 31 25 10 Overcast. 



,,18 18 6 Wet. June 1 21 8 Fair (swarmed) 



