486 INSECTS ABROAD. 



Theu there is Rlujnchium hrunncum, which is capable of 

 boring holes for itself, though it prefers to take possession of 

 those that are ready made. Mr. Home remarks of this species, 

 that its body is so flexible that it is almost impossible to 

 hold the insect without being stung by it. 



Lastly comes the species which is figured in the plate. In 

 colour it is very simple, being merely greyish black. Mr. 

 Home's account is as follows : — 



" This extremely interesting insect constructs cells of exceed- 

 ing strength, mostly upon timber. The clay is very finely 

 worked with water and some kind of gum — not only viscid 

 ejection being employed, but also the juices of the ' Peepul ' 

 {Ficus religiosa), birdlime in fact, and the gum of the acacia, 

 catechu, and other trees. Hence there is no need of thickness, 

 and we accordingly find the walls of the chambers very thin, 

 whilst their tenacity is so great that the portion of the hard 

 wood on wdiich the series of cells was fixed I have cut out with 

 a chisel and hammer without in any way injuring the structure. 

 One pair of insects does not usually make more than three cells ; 

 but it muat be remembered that they take a much longer time 

 in making them than does the rapid, rough-working IVIegachile. 



" The food stored consists of caterpillars ; and I have not yet 

 succeeded in hatching a parasite from one of their nests, 

 which are strong enough to resist all ordinary attacks. Until 

 compjleted, either one or the other of the insects appears to 

 remain at home ; and hence parasites have no opportunity of 

 effecting an entrance before the cell is closed over. The cover- 

 ing, though thin, is ver}^ tough, so tough that I doubt the power 

 of a parasite to pierce it. In the figure it will be observed that 

 six cells have been built one on another, only one being affixed 

 to the door. This one was attached to a smoothly plane 

 surface of ' Sal wood ' (Shorea robusta), so that the cementing gum 

 must have possessed great strength to allow me to cut it out 

 with a hammer and chisel, as before alluded to. 



" These insects build on roof-beams, so that their nests gene- 

 rally escape notice ; besides which they are far from common. 

 They are externally of a rich brown colour, glistening with 

 gum." 



In the plate, the nests of tliis species are seen just aliove the 

 insect. 



