obtuse : the petiole of the abdomen varies considerably in 

 length and form, even in the sexes, and in one species the 3rd 

 submarginal cell is pedicled : this forms a portion of Jurine's 

 MiscuSi but I cannot think it advisable to establish this genus 

 on such slender grounds. 



The oeconomy of these insects is very remarkable, and al- 

 though well known I shall add a few lines from my own ob- 

 servations. On the 26th of August I saw a female A. sahu- 

 losa ascend a sandy bank, dragging a caterpillar, which it car- 

 ried beneath it as the trunk of a tree is suspended under a Gillf 

 holding it near the head with its jaws : having arrived at the 

 desired spot it left the caterpillar, and proceeded about an 

 inch to a place covered with sand, which it scratched away, and 

 then with astonishing dexterity removed, and with its jaws 

 drew out of a hole, comparatively large pieces of earth that 

 closed and concealed the orifice ; some of these were so far in 

 that it had to go beyond its own length, of course backing out 

 every time : having completed this operation, it seized the larva 

 and went backward into the hole, drawing the caterpillar quite 

 down; after a short time the fly came out, and being frightened, 

 it flew away. On the following day the Hon. C. Harris and 

 myself saw another larva entombed ; it was a Geometra 1^ inch 

 long ; that yesterday was a Noctua, probably meticulosa: having 

 buried it the fly remained in the cell. We then dug out the 

 caterpillar, and found a cylindrical white egg ^^th of an inch 

 long, attached firmly to the middle; the Ammophila was below 

 and came out much alarmed. 



Mr. Kirby was acquainted with the male of one species only 



when he characterized this genus, and my ignorance of that 



sex led me into several errors in the Guide. 



I. Petiole of abdomen elongated and formed gradually : 

 a. 3rd submarginal cell pedicled. 



1. campestris Lat. — Curt. Brit. Ent. pi. 604?. 



Dead black, clothed with short grey pubescence, giving the apex of the 

 metathorax and the outside of the hinder coxas a silvery appearance : 

 sparingly punctured : metathorax very finely striated transversely, 2nd 

 joint of abdomen, excepting the base, 3rd joint and base of the 4th orange ; 

 costa, disc of cells and the fimbria yellowish-fuscous, scapulars, stigma and 

 nervures brown. The male has a silvery face, the entire upper side of the 

 2nd joint of the petiole and a long ovate spot on the back of the 3rd seg- 

 ment black. 



I discovered the female in Norfolk 20 years since, and the 

 male I took at Ramsdown, near Heron Court, the end of Aug. 

 b. 3rd submai-ginal cell simple. 



2. sabulosa Linn. — Panz. 65. 12 ?.? — vulgaris Kit'b. — lutaria 



Panz. 65. 14 S -—Don. 3. 93. 1 ? .— pulvillata Sow. ? 

 II. Petiole of abdomen shorter and formed abruptly. 



3. affinis Kirh. — Linn. Trans, v. 4. p. 20.5. No. 2. 



4. hirsuta Scop. — Sow. B. M. pi. 33. Jl 1. — Sam. Ent. Comp. 



pi. 8./. 5. — arenaria Fab. — Panz. 65. 13. — Do7i. 13.468. 

 2. females. — argentata Kirb. — lutaria Fab. males. 

 The Plant is Tussilago Petasites (Common Butter-bur.) 



