OUR HYMENOPTERA. 33 



pass, like the Chrysididce. but by burglary on the mud nests of other 

 ■enoptera. 



The next family, the Scoliidca, is represented by specimens of a 

 good many species in our collection, but my attempts to investigate 

 their life history have all failed. The closely allied Thymidce are 

 almost exclusively American. 



The BembecidcB comprise very few species. At first sight they 

 may be mistaken for wasps, which they much resemble in their 

 colouring, the illusion being increased by the fact that they are 

 gregarious. They are not however social. Each female digs her own 

 burrow, and a very pretty sight it is. She works exactly like a 

 terrier dog, loosening the soil with her fore feet and mandibles, 

 dragging it backwards to the entry, and then kicking it out with 

 her hind legs in showers to a distance of some inches. The com- 

 monest of our BenibecidcBi B. sulphurescens, stores her nest with 

 Dipt era, and probably others do the same. I have never seen the 

 capture of the prey by Bambex, but as her flight is most powerful 

 it cannot be a very difficut task. 



The Pompilidos comprise a good many species, but their habits 

 are not well known, I have seen the smaller ones carrying spiders, 

 dragging them backwards, but have no idea what the larger kinds 

 employ to provision their nests. Some of the species of Mygnirrda 

 are the largest among the Ilyrneiiopterce. 



In the family of the Sphegidee are included genera of widely 

 divergent shapes. Pelopocns, commonly known as the Sand Wasp, 

 is a very common form. Two species [Bengahnsis, dark blue, and 

 Madraspatanus , banded black and yellow,) are familiar to every 

 Indian resident. They build mud cells in all sorts of odd positions 

 in our rooms, which they ordinarily stock with spiders, though 

 sometimes with cater pi liars • Madraspatanus takes great precau- 

 tions against parasites, closing the entry to her completed cell with 

 a mud disc made for the purpose, but shows want of intelligence 

 in not using the disc a second time. Several discarded discs may 

 always be found below her nest. I speak from a man's point of view: 

 possibly she could give a satisfactory explanation of her proceedings, 

 and unfortunately we cannot get her opinion of the operations of 

 our P. W, D. It is noteworthy that I have never suceeded in 

 breeding chrysis from a nest of Pehpceus, and I thought that they 

 were proof against all but microscopic parasites ( ? Chalcididce) 

 until quite lately I caught a species of mutilla on a nest of Pelo- 

 5 



