Insects. 7019 



(he perfect insects, I think probubilities are in my favour. With this .single exception, 

 I believe, the entire paragraph has remained for twenty-six years both iincomfirmed 

 and uncontradicted. — Edward Newinari]. 



The Hybernation of Waspx. — Mr. Wailes' statement respecting the queen Vespa 

 vuljjaris, found near the summit of Skiddaw is very interesting (Zool. 6941), and I 

 think partly explained by Mr. Westwood ; my solution of the matter is thus : in some 

 seasons we often see an extraordinary number of queen wasps about the end of April, 

 and yet in the after part of the summer very few nests, and a great — and I may say a 

 pleasing — scarcity of workers. My opinion is thai should a fortnight of wet cold 

 weather arrive after their lirst appearance, many of these queens that have scarcely 

 begun their nests, ake refuge for a lime in the places alluded to by Mr. Wailes, and 

 from the continuance of rain and cold become so benumbed that they never revive, and 

 these are the queens which are found in hiding-places. I take great notice of 

 the Hymenopteru ; and in 1849, the appearance of the queeu-wasp (and also the 

 Bombi) in March and April was that of a inost plentiful brood of these insects : but 

 having afterwards twenty-five days of rainy weather in May, the nests in Gloucester- 

 shire have rarely been so few. I believe that two-thirds of the queen wasps which had 

 begun or intended to begin their nests that year, perished in the month of May. as 

 described by Mr. Wailes. Nevertheless, it is generally in a plentiful year of wall- 

 fruit, plums and pears, that wasps are most common. — H. W. Newman; Hillside^ 

 Cheltenham, April 4, 1860, 



British Hemiptera : a few words on them not in Scientific Language. 

 By Edward Newman, Memb. Imp. L.-C. Acad. 



For the first time during a lengthened entomological career I hear 

 a rumour of the British Hemiptera coming into favour. Messrs. 

 Douglas and Scott promise us a list,- or a catalogue, or some prehminary 

 work, that is to act as a precursor to a knowledge of these hitherto 

 neglected insects ; and no sooner have we this announcement than we 

 learn that Mr. Walker is already engaged in a similar labour. I 

 believe that no one in England possesses a knowledge of the Hemiptera 

 anything approaching to Mr. Walker's knowledge ; and I think I may 

 add that Messrs. Douglas and Scott do not pretend to any such know- 

 ledge, but have simply taken up the subject because no one else 

 seemed inclined to do so. But although both these projects are now 

 before our little entomological public, let no one suppose there will 

 be two works on Hemiptera competing for public favour ; I apprehend 

 that the two projects will either merge in one, or that the second, 

 should there be two, will be simply a revised, enlarged and improved 



