69 



HYMENOPTERA. 



By WALTER W. PROGGATT, 



Technological Museum, Sydney. 



The Hymenoptera collected by Mr. R. Helms, of the Elder 

 Exploring Expedition, having been handed to me to classify, I 

 submit the following account of them. In several instances I 

 have to j)as8 over several interesting insects that are very likely 

 new sp)ecies, as I do not feel justified in describing them without 

 a better knowledge of the literature of this much neglected group 

 in Australia, than is accessible to me in Sydney; while as regards 

 the ants I abstain from dealing with them, as my knowledge of 

 the family is very superficial. 



Considering that the collection is the result of nearly nine 

 months gathering in the sandy ridges and ranges of Central 

 Australia, I think it very meagre, and remarkable for containing 

 none of the typical fossorial wasps of this part of the continent, 

 while the Pompilidce, Sphegidre, Vespidte, and larger Eumenid;e 

 are very poorly represented, and the Formicidas comprises only- 

 eight species from a country which simj^ly swarms with ants in 

 ordinary seasons. 



However, in all expeditions, even under the best management, 

 collectors liave many difficulties to contend with, that often 

 prevent them from making such extensive collections as they 

 might wish. 



This collection contains 57 specimens (including a numbei- of 

 small ants on a card as one). The following is a list of specimens 

 in theii' natural order, witli the locality as given on the collector's 

 label : — 



ICHNEUMONIl ).;=)<;. 



Cbyptus, Sj-). 



This is one of our commonest species, and has a very wide 

 range over the whole of Australia, about Sydney it is parasitic on, 

 the larvse of several common moths that crawl upon tlie grass. 

 ■ Mount Squires; one example. 



Opiiign' (three species). 



Only one species of this genus has been described from Aus- 

 tralia, and uwst likely these, ajjparently three distinct species are 



