480 CLIMATOLOaiCAL REPOET, 186& 



the aphides on vetches that when a man was loading a cart he 

 was covered, and the crop was partly destroyed by them. In 

 some localities peas and other like crops shared the same fate. 

 I observed a species of aphis, of a mealy colour, on the lower 

 stems of willows in autumn. These insects were visited by 

 wasps so frequently that I thought their nest was among the 

 willows ; but I found large quantities of wasps lying under and 

 on the branches seemingly in a state of stupefaction. These 

 wasps I found passed the night under the bushes. I found a 

 kind of honey dew under the willows and thought the wasps 

 were making a meal of the insects, afterwards it proved to be the 

 case that their object was the honey dew. I sent some speci- 

 mens to Mr. Bold for identification, and he kindly informed me 

 that they were a species called Lachnus hyalinus, Koch., both 

 wingless and winged females ; the genus differing from that of 

 aphis in wanting the tubes of the abdomen for the emission of 

 honey dew. I mention the instance about the stupified manner 

 of these aphides having read a case about wild bees being found 

 in this state. The writer says : ' Is it certain that this secretion 

 is innocuous to the bees themselves 7 This year I observed on 

 two occasions, in two lime tree avenues twenty-five miles apart, 

 the ground strewn with thousands of wild bees, and a large 

 sprinkling of hive bees, dead or dying, and no external injury 

 could be detected on these, even with the help of the micro- 

 scope. I kept a few to make sure it was not mere temporary 

 stupefaction, but there was no revival.' " — R. Draper. 



The editor would feel grateful for further and fuller "notes" 

 for this part of the yearly report. The regular observation of 

 the habits of birds and insects would be found a subject of the 

 greatest interest by many persons who, having the powers and 

 opportunities of observation, have never been in the habit of 

 noting down from time to time the facts which come under 

 their notice. The trouble is far less than perhaps might be 

 previously expected. 



