OF WASHINGTON. 173 



under side, where examination showed that it was vigorously 

 biting through the lower leaf. In a very few seconds it had cut 

 a small opening, something less than ^ inch in diameter, seized 

 the Pempelia larva and gave it a few turns between its man 

 dibles, immediately taking flight. Examination of the tree showed 

 that nearly every one of these tied-together leaves, of which there 

 were many, had from one to two of these irregular holes in the 

 under surface, undoubtedly indicating the very thorough manner 

 in which the tree had been worked by these or other Odyneri. 

 All of the Odyneri provision their cells with the larvae of small 

 Lepidoptera, or in some cases the larvae of leaf-eating Coleoptera 

 and of sawflies. A very curious case is mentioned by Westwood, 

 in which an Odynerus was seen to adopt a peculiar method to 

 secure a Tortricid larva. He says that the wasp was seen 

 to thrust its sting into one end of the roll made by a little leaf- 

 roller, and then to run immediately to the opposite end to see if 

 the larva had been thus frightened from 'its quarters. It is a very 

 reasonable supposition, in view of these observations and the 

 known habits of the group, that the smaller species, at least, of 

 Odynerus prey very largely on the larvae of Microlepidoptera, 

 particularly those in the leaf-tying or leaf-rolling groups. 



The note was discussed by Messrs. Riley, Ashmead, and 

 Schwarz. Professor Riley said that the habit must be nearly 

 universal, since examination of the cells of Odynerus shows that 

 as a rule they store up Tortricid larvae. Mr. Ashmead discussed 

 the habits of the genus in general, and said that he had found in 

 the cells of this wasp the cocoons of Meteorus and Microgaster. 

 The larvae which spun these cocoons, however, must have been 

 parasitic upon lepidopterous larvae stored up by the wasp. This 

 is an indication of the difficulty of ascertaining the true host of 

 certain parasites. Mr. Schwarz said that the Odynerus the cells 

 of which are found in the old burrows of Anthophora around 

 Washington always stores Tortricid larvae. 



A paper Joy Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, entitled "Some Obser 

 vations on the Distribution of the Coccidae," was read by the 

 acting Corresponding Secretary. It was discussed by Mr. 

 Schwarz, who said that, on account of the ease of commercial 

 distribution of the insects of this family, it is now almost too late 

 to generalize on the natural geographical distribution of the 



