Vol. xxiii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 255 



insects are very abundant in this region) would not be as likely 

 to climb up the clay tube. Perhaps again, O. annulatus con- 

 structing fewer cells than its near relative, it would be im- 

 perative that these should be better protected. 



Odynerus foraminatus Sauss. 



Oberlin, Decatur County, July 19, 1910. 



Several of these Eumenids were dug out of the same stump 

 as Crabro interruptus, previously referred to. The cells of 

 foraminatus were larger than those of Crabro and separated by 

 partitions of mud, instead of wood chips as in the case of the 

 latter insect. The biood was apparently just emerging, but 

 what their burrows had been provisioned with was not ascer- 

 tained. 



Family VESPIDAE 

 Polistes variatus Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. IV, 247, 1872. 



A number of specimens of this wasp were taken near Atwood, 

 Rawlins County, in July. Trees and houses being rather scarce 

 in Northwestern Kansas, the nests of these insects can be found 

 suspended in the tunnels of rodents, exposed by erosion, in the 

 face of cliffs. Such a nest was found five or six inches inside 

 a shallow pocket in a bank. The five adults pertaining to this 

 nest were taken. The comb consisted of thirteen capped and 

 a large number of open cells, the latter surrounding the for- 

 mer. 



The genus Polistes is well represented in Kansas by at least 

 eight species; these are commoner, however, in the eastern half 

 of the state. During the late fall females are often found in- 

 doors in their instinctive efforts to secure a comfortable place 

 for hibernation. 



Series ANTHOPHILA 



Family ANDRENIDAE 

 Halictus occidentalis Cress. 



Rarely met with. We dug out a tunnel of this species from 

 a clay bank in Wallace County. The hole went straight down 

 for 14 inches and ended in three pockets filled with pollen. 



