272 



BRITISH ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA. 



The I Hymenoptera Aculeata | of the | British Islands. | A Descriptive 



Account of the Families, Genera, and | Species Indigenous to Great Britain 

 and Ireland, | with notes as to Habits, Localities, Habitats, J etc. | By | 

 Edward Saunders, F.L.S. | London : | L. Reeve & Co., | . . | 6, Henrietta 

 Street, Covent Garden. | 1896. [8vo. cloth, viii 4-391 pages + 3 plates]. 



Such a large amount of excellent critical work in respect of our 

 stinging hymenoptera has been done since the publication of the 

 late Mr. Frederick Smith's well-known Catalogues (which were 

 really monographs), more especially by Mr. Saunders, who is now 

 our undisputedly chief authority, that the appearance of the present 

 volume is well-timed. 



The number of species treated of is 374, of which 20 are Ants, 

 127 are Fossores or Sand-wasps, 23 are true Wasps, and 204 are 

 Bees. The introduction gives a long list of entomologists who 

 have given assistance to the author in his researches, as well as 

 an enumeration of previous works and papers covering the same 

 ground. 



Three plates are given, the first of which is a ■ structural ' ont, 

 in which Priocnemis is used as a type, and details are also given 

 of parts of Bombus, Psithyrus* Halutus, Andre na, and Cerceris. 

 The other two give figures of the mouth-parts of different genera 

 of Bees. 



The introduction describes the anatomy, internal and external, 

 and gives some useful notes on collecting, which might have been 

 advantageously extended to greater length and detail. 



The monographic part itself follows, giving in addition to the 

 descriptions, useful keys to the genera and species. 



The account of each species includes notices of distribution in 

 Britain, times of appearance, and such details as are obtainable as to 

 habits and economy. There is not, however, as much indication of 

 synonymy as might have been wished for by many students. A few 

 exotic species of ants which have established themselves are included, 

 but without adequate description. 



We presume there is an edition with coloured plates, but the 

 copy before us gives no indication whatever on the point, and does 

 not even contain an advertisement either of such an edition or of the 

 whole series of these works. 



1 



The author is to be congratulated on the admirable thoroughness 

 with which he has performed his task, and the publishers on the 

 addition of so important a volume to their excellent series 01 

 monographic works on the British insect-fauna. 



j ■■" 



Naturalist 



