1864.] SENATE— No. 22. 37 



» 

 17,000, and comprising between 2,000 and 3,000 species. By 

 the Gray Fund has been secured 346 species, 1,516 specimens 

 of different sub-orders, from Europe, labelled by Dr. Imhoff, 

 Basle, Switzerland. Also from Mr. Cooke, a very large collec- 

 tion, embracing 324 species, 2,577 specimens, from Zanzibar, 

 Mozambique, and Cabasira, Africa. Mr. S. I. Smith has con- 

 tinued to send valuable collections from Norway, Me. 



By donation, a very large collection of insects from the 

 Western States, and various localities in New England, with 

 miscellaneous collections from China, Africa, South America 

 and Hayti, altogether numbering 876 species, 2,476 specimens, 

 have been received from Miss A. M. Edmands. Next in 

 importance is a lot of insects from Cambridge and Norway, Me., 

 presented by Mr. A. E. Verrill, and amounting to 308 species, 

 1,298 specimens. 



A collection sent from Kanagawa, Japan, by Mr. J. T. 

 Gulick, of insects of all orders, with a large number of dupli- 

 cates, both dry and alcoholic, is a most valuable addition. 

 They are at once to be properly mounted, spread, and arranged 

 in boxes for exhibition. 



Of very special interest is a large series of the nests and 

 young of several species of Humble Bees (Bombus) and Car- 

 penter's Bees (Megacliile) collected mostly by Mr. F. W. 

 Putnam at Warwick, Mass., and Bridport, Yt. There are over 

 a thousand specimens, either dry and pinned, or in alcohol, 

 with their cells. Mr. Putnam has made some observations on 

 the habits of these species, which will prove of great interest 

 to entomologists. These colonies of bees and wasps, with 

 many of their parasites, both in all stages of development, and 

 in such abundance, afford excellent material, not only for 

 ascertaining the amount of variation in the larvas and purpce 

 of the different species and genera of bees, but also the mode 

 of development of the pupa from the larva. In this connec- 

 tion should be urged the great importance of collecting at 

 different seasons of the year whole colonies of our social and 

 solitary bees and wasps, our ants and other hymenoptera. 

 They can be easily collected in alcohol, and should be accom- 

 panied with the date of capture and other notes of interest. 

 Already do such collections as these, and of larva) and pupas 

 of other insects, obtained in great numbers, often by whole 



