Insects. 749 



Note on an Australian Hymenopterous Insect. There is a species of bee here that 

 is in the practice of stopping up the key-holes with clay. We have been amused lately 

 by seeing one of them engaged in building in a crevice of our stone chimney. It 

 comes into the room, and goes to the fire-place, as unconcerned as though no one was 

 present, even when we are all in the room. This has given us an opportunity to see 

 the progress of the business. It makes a hollow tube of clay, about the size of one's 

 forefinger, and nearly as long ; one side of this adheres to the wall. When it is finish- 

 ed, the bee lays an egg at the end, and then fetches two small green spiders, and puts 

 them in with the egg;. It then closes them all in with some clay, allowing just room 

 enough for the spiders and egg. Another egg is then laid, and two more spiders put 

 in, and then clay again ; and so on, till the whole tube is filled up, there being six or 

 more partitions, with egg and spiders in each space. I have broken some of these 

 tubes heretofore, and always found them made in this way, and with the same kind of 

 spider, which no doubt is put there for food for the maggot of the bee. I cannot tell 

 whether the spiders are killed or not ; I rather think not, because they look so very 

 fresh after having been some time boxed up : but that may be owing to the air being 

 excluded. — Joseph May ;* Mount Barker, South Australia. 



Note on Ichneumons' Eggs on Caterpillars. In the ' Annales de la Societe Ento- 

 mologique de France,' December, 1843, it is recorded, that at a meeting of the Socie- 

 ty held on the 29th of August, 1843, M. Pierret stated that M. Bruand had succeeded 

 in rearing a caterpillar of Dicranura furcula, which had eggs of an Ichneumon insert- 

 ed in the skin, he having destroyed the eggs by crushing them with very fine pincers. 

 Some caterpillars of Notodonta tritropha similarly attacked, were operated on by cut- 

 ting the eggs with a penknife, but they all perished. This is a hint that may be use- 

 ful, when, as is sometimes the case, the larva of a rare moth is found ** stung," as the 

 collectors term it. — /. W. Douglas ; 6, Grenville Terrace, Cobury Road, Kent Road, 

 October 8, 1844. 



Note on the capture of Coleopterous Insects at Plumstead. The following Coleop- 

 tera were taken by me at Plumpstead-wood, two miles beyond Woolwich, in Kent, (a 

 very good locality), in the summers of 1842, 3, and 4. Lamprias chlorocephalus, on 

 broom. Throscus dermestoides, very common on the birch, in June and July, 1843. 

 Elater balteatus. Anobium rufipes. Nedyus melanostictus, on wild mint. Acalles 

 ptinoides, and A. Roboris (Curtis). Otiorhynchus fuscirostris (Scho.) : I have taken 

 four specimens of this pretty species, which has not been hitherto recorded as British : 

 this insect will be described by Mr. Walton, in the Notes on British Curculionidae, 

 published in Taylor's Annals. Trachyphlaeus Waltoni (Scho.). The last four insects 

 I found in a gravel-pit on the common. Balaninus Betulse, very common on one oc- 

 casion on the birch, at other times rare. B. Elephas, on oak. Polydrusus confluens, 

 on broom. Apion simile, on birch. Oxystoma fuscirostre, on broom, June and Sept. 

 Cryptocephalus lineola, occasionally common on birch and oak. Hypulus Quercinus, 

 a single specimen taken by sweeping in a marshy place in the centre of the wood, the 

 15th of last June. Aderus Boleti, a specimen beat off the oak, September, 1842. — S. 

 Stevens ; 38, Kiny St., Covent Garden, August, 1844. 



Note on captures of Coleopterous Insects at Charlton. The following I Lave also 

 met with at Charlton-pits. Poccilus lepidus. Rhinusa Linariae and R. Antirrhini, 

 both found on Antirrhinum Linaria, the former in May, the latter in July. A species 



* Communicated by John Beck, Esq. 



