POMPILIDAE 105 



due to scales. P. formosus, Say, is called in Texas the tarantula- 

 killer ; according to Buckley, its mode of attack on the huge 

 spider is different from that made use of by its European ally. 

 When it discovers a tarantula it flies " in circles in the air, 

 around its victim. The spider, as if knowing its fate, stands up 

 and makes a show of fighting, but the resistance is very feeble 

 and of no avail. The spider's foe soon discovers a favourable 

 moment and darts upon the tarantula, whom it wounds with its 

 sting, and again commences flying in circles." The natural 

 retreat of this huge spider, Mygale lientzii, is in holes in the 

 ground, and this account does not inform us whether the spider 

 allows itself to be overcome when in its nest, or is only attacked 

 when out of its retreat. 



The genus Mygnimia includes a very large number of species, 

 and has a wider geographical distribution than Pepsis, being 

 found in the tropical regions of both the Old and New Worlds, 

 some of them rivalling in size and ferocity the larger specimens 

 of the genus Pepsis. In the Insects of this genus there is usually 

 a more or less distinct small space of more pallid colour on the 

 middle of each front wing. Parapompilus is a curious genus 

 consisting of Insects of a great variety of peculiar coloration, 

 and having the wings short, so as to be of little use for flight. 

 P. gravesii is an inhabitant of Chili. 



Agenia carbonaria and A. hyalipennis are small and feeble 

 Insects inhabiting the south of Europe. A. carbonaria extends to 

 the south of England. They construct, as nests for their offspring, 

 small earthenware vessels, differing in form according to the 

 species, those of A. hyalipennis being vase-like in shape, while 

 those of A. carbonaria are contracted near the mouth, something 

 after the fashion of a wide-mouthed bottle. The Insect is able 

 by some means Fabre thinks by the use of saliva to varnish 

 the interior of the vessel so that it will not absorb water ; the 

 outside of the cells is, however, not so protected, and speedily 

 crumbles away when exposed to the action of water ; hence the 

 vessel is placed in a protected situation, such as in a tree-stump, 

 or a hole in a wall, or even in an empty snail-shell under a heap 

 of stones. The cells are stored with spiders that have been 

 paralysed by stinging and that serve as food for the larva of the 

 Agenia. The larva of A. carbonaria has been described, and 

 some particulars as to its habits have been given by Verhoeff. 



