BY H. RAWES WHITTELL, ESQ. 31 



damage had escaped notice in the latter case, and I was much 

 astonished when, as soon as his organs were at liberty, he went 

 to the other side of the cell and straightened it up. 



As soon as each individual cell is completed, work in cell 

 building is suspended until the spiders, which are to nourish the 

 embryo are collected, and the ovum deposited. The number of 

 spiders stored in each cell varies from four to seven, according to 

 their size. The ova are always deposited on the under surface 

 of the abdomen of the first spider placed in the cells, and are 

 firmly attached thereto, the female entering the cell backwards to 

 perform this office. The change from the ovum to the larva is 

 very rapid, but I cannot state with certainty as to the time 

 occupied, possibly within twenty -four hours. 



The larvae of this species appears to live by suction for about 

 fourteen days, devouring all the soft parts of the spiders first ; 

 at this age a sharp, strong, pair of mandibles are distinctly seen 

 with which, in almost all cases, every scrap of the store of food 

 both hard and soft which remains is devoured. In the course of 

 a few more days the larva spins for itself a cocoon and enters the 

 pupa state, attaining the imago about twenty-five days from the 

 time the egg was deposited. 



I may mention that I sat in the fireplace to conduct my obser- 

 vations. I have frequently watched these and other hornets at 

 work at a distance of from four to six inches from my face. 



On the 20th January, 1880, I examined a complete nest of this 

 species containing thirty six cells. The average number of spiders 

 in each cell was five, so that one pair of these hornets destroy one 

 hundred and eighty spiders in one season. 



The entrance to each cell is closed immediately the store of food 

 contained is sufficient, and when the last cell is closed, both hornets 

 set to work and cover the whole with a network of mud ridges, 

 giving it decidedly an ornamental appearance. 



I have now to refer to a singular circumstance connected with 

 this species, and a species of Larrada probably Larrada Australis 1 



