64 The Scottish Naturalist. 



the others refused to come within reach of my short - handled 

 net, and eventually they dispersed amongst the surrounding 

 brambles. 



P, {Frioc?ie?niis) sepicola. — Was not uncommon at Burnside in 

 June 1876, but I have not seen it since. 



Gorytes mystaceiis. — Common. I have taken it several times 

 with the green larva of the "cuckoo spit " (or "gowk spittle" as 

 it is termed here), and once noticed it pulling out the larva, and, 

 after settling on a neighbouring twig, set to work and clean off 

 the adhering frothy substance with its anterior legs. 



Mellimcs arvensis. — Common everywhere. The sides of 

 Potato furrows seem to be favourite situations for its burrows. 



M. sabulosiis. — One taken on Gout weed flowers. 



Crabro dimidiatiis. — I took a Crabro in August 1878, which, 

 on being referred to Mr E. Saunders, was returned as a " curious 

 variety" of this species. It is a ^ and differs from the type in 

 being wholly black, with the exception of a thin line on the basal 

 segment of the abdomen and a spot on each side of the third 

 segment, which are yellow. All the tarsi and a short line on the 

 underside of the tibiae are also yellow. The specimen is also 

 more slender in its proportions. 



C. pallidipalpus. — Very common ; wherever there is a clump 

 of tangled briars it may be found running on, and flying about 

 the leaves, busily engaged catching small Diptera. 



C. cribrarius. — Very abundant in August on the flowers of 

 Goutweed. 



C. patdlatiis. — Not unfrequent in company with the preceding. 



C. palmipes. — While capturing C. pallidipalpus in June, I found 

 what at the time I thought was a pair of that species /// coitu. 

 However Mr E. Saunders states that the $ of the pair in 

 question is C. palmipes. 



C. chrysostomus.' — A $ specimen at Burnside in July 1878 on 

 Goutweed. 



Mimesa bicolor. — Found at same time and place as last, and 



also on the flowers of Goutweed. 



Odynerus pariettim. — Very common, especially in thick old 

 copsewoods. 



Vespa vulgaris. — Common. 



V. german ica . — Common. 



V. rufa. — Also common. The past year wasps of these three 

 species were in most unusual numbers, doing great damage to 

 ripe fruit. In several places here the crop of grapes in the 



