HYMENOPTBRA OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 199 



Coleoptera^ that I think the fact of its being represented 

 in my collection by considerably more than a hundred 

 species^ to be very conclusive on the pointy that a specialist 

 studying the group would reap a great harvest were he to 

 visit the locality. 



I have published (in the Scientific Trans, of the Royal 

 Dublin Soc. 1884^ pp. 87 e/ seq.) some general remarks on 

 the climate &c. of the Hawaiian Islands in their relation 

 to the insect-fauna, to which I will venture to refer for 

 the generalities that might perhaps be looked for as an 

 introduction to such a paper as the present, merely adding 

 that (so far as I can judge) Maui is not, in respect of this 

 group of insects, so clearly the metropolis of the islands as 

 it is in respect of other groups. It has produced (as will 

 appear from what follows) one or two of the most striking 

 and specialized types, it is true ; but, nevertheless, I am 

 inclined to think that it must yield to Hawaii the claim to 

 be the Hymenopterous centre, as that island has yielded 

 the most numerous and most strongly-marked forms in 

 every family but two, viz. Apidse and Sphegidse. The 

 species (Prosopis rugiventris, mihi) of the former, on 

 which this remark is founded, very probably is confined 

 to Maui (and the closely adjacent island Lanai), while the 

 occurrence there, either solely or in much greater numbers 

 than elsewhere, of P. Blackburni, Sm., and P. hilaris, Sm. 

 (two of the most striking species of the genus), confirms 

 the probability that Maui really is peculiarly rich in these 

 insects. The occurrence in very small numbers of Mimesa 

 antennata, Smith, of which no close ally has occurred in 

 other localities, may possibly be due merely to insufficient 

 observation on my part, and, therefore, will not count for 

 much ; while, on the other hand, the fact that the Vespidse 

 and Crabronidse of Hawaii are so much more striking in 

 appearance and specialized in structure than those of any 



