KoEBucK : Study and Collecting of Hymenoptera. 151 



instrument is necessary ; but as a general rule they may be safely 

 taken with the fingers. Bees should be put each in a separate pill- 

 box, and should not be pinned in the field. Arrived at home, they 

 should be killed by the fumes of sulphur in the following manner : — 

 Open every pill-box just sufficiently to allow the fumes to penetrate 

 and prevent the bee escaping : pile up the boxes inside a tumbler, or 

 bell-glass : then light a little powdered sulphur on a stick, and insert 

 it under the edge of the glass if the sulphur goes out, repeat two or 

 three times, and leave the whole till morning, when the insects will 

 be found in splendid condition for setting. For further directions 

 see the articles referred to above. Try to collect the sexes of the 

 solitary bees, and of the social ones — the humble bees — collect all the 

 different kinds, males, females, and workers. 



The wasps, ants, and fossores are also monographed by Mr. F. 

 Smith (British Museum Catalogue of British Fossorial Hymenoptera, 

 Formicid^ and Yespidse, 1858, price 6s.), and consequently present 

 another favourable opportunity for the beginner. 



The student of British wasps can also avail himself of the fine 

 coloured plates of all the British species, and figures of their nests, 

 given by Dr. Ormerod in his " British Social Wasps," (Longmans, 

 1868, price 10s. 6d.), for naming his species. The distinctive 

 characters of our seven social wasps are taken from the face and 

 the basal segment of the abdomen ; these details are figured by 

 Ormerod. Wasps may be induced to build nests in confinement of 

 various eccentric shapes at the will of their owner, and naturalists 

 will find their habits in captivity of great interest. 



The insects of these groups require nearly the same directions as 

 for the bees, but they are more ^vely and active, and many of them 

 require a net, a sharp eye, and quick hand, for their capture. Sandy 

 districts will be found most productive of both bees and other 

 hymenoptera, especially the coast sand-hills. 



An excellent plan of procuring various bees, fossores, and their 

 parasites is, by collecting perforated sticks in hedge-bottoms and 

 breeding the insects from them. These sticks may be collected from 

 autumn to spring, and their collection will furnish winter work to the 

 hymenopterist, who is otherwise dependent upon a seasonable summer 

 for his success. 



These groups constitute the Aculeate, or stinging division, of the 

 order. Possibly some may be deterred from the study for fear of the 

 stings, but this danger is in most cases more imaginary and real 



