34 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



'pceus, and on removing the nesb found each cell had been brokeD 

 into, by mutilla no doubt, in order to lay her eggs, for about 

 the same time from a nest of Pelopmus received from Madras I 

 reared a mutilla of a closely allied species. Ammcpliila may often 

 be seen carrying large green caterpillars, twice her own size, and 

 Chlorion huge crickets. All the 8phegidm bury the insects alive in 

 their nests, having first paralysed them by stinging them, and in this 

 way provide a supply of fresh meat for their offspring. Some stress 

 has been laid on the high development of instinct involed in the 

 practice, for it is stated that to be effectual the sting must penetrate 

 a nerve centre. I confess I should like more evidence to show that 

 a sting in any part of the body would not be equally effectual. 



The remaining families of the Fossores, viz., Larridcc, N'yssonidwt 

 Crabronidcv, and Philcmthidce, contain mostly small insects. 

 Some of them make their own burrows, while some I believe utilize 

 any suitable hole or cervice. Very little or nothing however is 

 recorded of our Indian species. Flies, gnats, aphides are recorded 

 as stored by English species, and some of the larger Philanthidce 

 are said to destroy great numbers of bees. 



The next group of the Aculeutce is the Diplopfera or Wasps, the 

 most striking character of which, as shown by the name, is the 

 longitudinal folding of the wings in repose. A very large proportion 

 of the solitary wasps are included in the family of the Eumenulce. 

 The genus Eumenes seems to me to be more persecuted by parasites 

 than any other of the Hymenoptera. In the local vernacular they 

 are known as " Kumbharin/' from their habit of building mud nests. 

 These they store with caterpillars, as far as I know always green, 

 and always of the Geouiit )■/ dee , common]y known as "stick cater- 

 pillars.*' Eit/menes seems to be rather muddle-headed in her architec- 

 ture. She usually commences by building a shapely enough cell, like 

 the common native earthen pot, but usually proceeds to surround this 

 with others sloping at all angles, and if not disturbed, renders the 

 whole building as shapeless as possible by an irregular layer of 

 mud put on at random. The idea of thus assimilating her nest to 

 a handful of mud thrown against a wall is a good one, but to an 

 ordinary mortal it would seem simpler to build roughly and irregularly 

 from the first. When the nest is built on a white background it is 

 almost invariably ornamented (?), as a finishing touch, with streaks 

 of chunaui. Is this meant to make the mud ball less visible ? If 

 so, why not completely white-.vash it? Are these precautionary 



