128 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[May 



species, I may remark that the specific name leucophthalmus signifies 

 white-eyed. -All the specimens I took had black or at least dark eyes, 

 whereas till I was able to replace the species in our local museum it was 

 represented only by a single very old specimen, much the worse for 

 wear, but which had white eyes. These latter, however, bore the appear- 

 ance of having become discoloured by age, or by the action of corrosive 

 sublimate used to preserve the specimens from mites, &c, and not from 

 any natural cause. Can anyone say if they do possess white eyes ? — 

 B. Kendrick, Stockton Heath, Warrington. 



HYMENOPTERA. 



Aculeate Hymenoptera, taken during March, 1894. — March of 

 this year, like that of 1893, has been abnormally fine and warm, with 

 the result that many sun-loving insects have been upon the wing. 

 Aculeate Hymenoptera have been astir very soon this season. Hive bees 

 were busy collecting honey from apricot, pyrus japonica, &c, in 

 February. Early in March another loud-buzzing species joined in the 

 feast on the blossoms, viz., Anthophora pilipes — first the handsome male, 

 with its elegantly plumed forelegs, and then the black female, not at all 

 like her mate, and often mistaken for a Bumble Bee. 



Every now and then the deep booming hum of one of the true 

 Bumble Bees was heard in the air, and in the course of the month I 

 took three species, viz., Bombus terrestris, B . pvatovum, and B. muscomm. 

 Then when the sallow's bloom and herbaceous flowers began to be more 

 abundant, the short tongued AndvenidcE appeared upon the scene, and 

 'could be easily detected among their noisy companions on the blossoms 

 by their silent flight. Before the end of the month I took Andvena 

 albicans, male, Andvena nigrocenea, male and female, and Halictus 

 mbicnndus, both pretty insects. 



On the sand hills at Hoylake, Cheshire, our local Colletes cnniculavia 

 also early made its appearance — the males ; the females did not emerge 

 till quite the close of the month. 



Of Wasps, the hibernated females were of course the only 

 specimens on the wing ; of these I met with the three common species, 

 Vespa gevmanica, V. vulgaris, and V. sylvestvis. This makes a record of 

 eleven species for the month of March, 1894, a number which is seldom 

 attained so early in the year. — W. Gardner, F.R.G.S., Liverpool. 



MYRIAPODA. 



Note on the Marine Centipede. — I have lately received from 

 Messrs. Sinel and Hornel, of Jersey, a specimen of the above which has 

 recently been described by M. Letzel as Geophilns snbmavina. The 



