6 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE 



reckoned that each cell contained 10 or 11 spiders and a single 

 grub. He says : — " I did not see the actual insect that made 

 these cells, though its noise attracted me. I know the beast, 

 however, and believe it to be of the same kind (? identical one) as 

 the bee [wasp] in the tube. This bee flew on to my table near 

 the sheif, and kindly investigated a cigarette-holder which I 

 promptly closed up with my finger; I was able then to blow it 

 into the tube. Many o£ the spiders, especially the larger ones, 

 were alive, they could move their legs but not walk ; at least one 

 little one let itself down into the tube by a thread." He found a 

 small fly in one cell, and others later in a different set of cells. 

 He remarks that the Chinese must have noticed the spider- trap ping 

 habit, since they say of certain bees that they "adopt" spiders 

 and bring them up as young bees. 



(2) Contents of another set of cells, built in a corner of the 

 verandah, in two vertical rows, about 13 cells in all. The spiders 

 were all of one kind, 56 in number, with three half-eaten and two 

 skins. They were all in the upper cells. In the lowest four 

 cells there were four hard grub-cases. In the two next above 

 these there were two soft grub-cases. In all these no spiders, 

 but some silk. Then came a grub with no spider, but a great 

 deal of silk in its cell. Next a grub with part of a spider and a 

 good deal of silk, and finally cells with plenty of spiders and one 

 grub to each cell, smaller and smaller to the top. In other cells 

 there were several specimens of the small fly and flv-pupae. Some 

 sets of cells differed from the rest by each having a distinct cover 

 to the opening. 



(3) Contents of a set of cells, the topmost of which was closed 

 while Mr. Saunders was examining other sets. The day before 

 had been wet, but even the topmost cell, which was not yet dry, 

 contained a grub. 



In the lowest cell he found 1 grub eating a spider, with 9 other 



spiders. 

 In the 2nd cell, 1 small grub and 7 spiders. 

 In the 3rd cell, 1 small grub eating a large spider, and 6 other 



spiders. 

 In the 4th cell, 1 tiny grub eating a large spider, and 8 other 



spiders. 

 In the 5th (scax'cely dry), 1 tiny grub eating a spider, and 10 

 other spiders (including 2 pale spiders with greenish hairy 

 legs). 

 In the 6th (still wet), 1 tiny grub eating a pale spider, and 



7 other spiders of the usual kind. 

 The exhibitor also remarked, that in the family Crabronidae or 

 Sphegidae Ammophila hh-suta, a British species of Sand-wasp, is 

 said to provision its nest with spiders. The same habit has long 

 been known in Pelapceus spirifex (Linn.\ belonging to the same 

 family. Also in the family Pompilidnc, species of Pompilus are 

 known to attack large spiders and make them a provision for 

 their young ones. 



