130 HYMENOPTERA 



phidae ; the larva spins an orange-red cocoon, passes the winter 

 therein, and assumes the pupal form in the spring ; there is, he 

 says, a segment more in the female pupa than there is in the male. 



The species of the sub-genus Crossocerus provision their nests 

 with Aphididae, hut C. ivesmaeli makes use, for the purpose, 

 according to Ferton, of an elegant little Hy of the family 

 Tipulidae ; according to Pissot this same wasp also makes use 

 of a S])ecies of Tyjjhlocyha, a genus of the Homopterous division of 

 Rhynchota. Supposing there to he no mistake as to this latter 

 observation, the choice of Diptera and of Homoptera by the same 

 species indicates a very peculiar habit. 



Fertonius (Crossocerus) lutcicollis in Algeria forms cells at a 

 slight depth in sandy soil, and provisions them with ants. The 

 ant selected is Tcqnnoma erratic ion, and the individuals captured 

 are the wingless workers. The mode of hunting has l;)een de- 

 scrilied by Ferton ; the wasp hovers over one of the ant-paths at a 

 distance of a few millimetres only above the surface, and when 

 an ant that is considered suitable passes, the Fcrtonias pounces 

 on it, stings it, and carries it off to the burrow ; forty or fifty 

 ants are accumulated in a cell, the egg is laid in the heap of 

 victims about one-third of the depth from the bottom : the 

 resulting larva sucks the ants one by one, by attaching itself to 

 the thorax behind the first pair of legs. There is a very 

 interesting point in connection with the habits of this species, 

 viz. that tlie ants are not only alive, but lively ; they have, 

 however, lost the power of co-ordinating the movements of the 

 limlis, and are thus unable to direct any attack against the feeble 

 larva. Ferton thinks there are three generations of this species 

 in a single year. 



Note. — lu a note on jj. 99 we have mentioned tlie new iJubHcation of 

 Mr. and ]\Irs. Peckliani on the habits of Fossores. We may here add tliat it 

 contains ninch fresh information on these Insects, together with criticisms of 

 the views of Fabre and others. One of tlie 2:)oints most noteworthy is tliat 

 they have observed Crahro stirpicola working night and day for a period of 

 forty-two consecntive liours. They made exjieriments on Bemhex spinolar 

 with a view of ascertaining whether the female provisions two nests sinud- 

 taneously ; as the result they think this improbable. If the female Bembecid 

 make nests only consecutively, it is clear it must have but a small fecundity. 

 The larval life extends over about fifteen days ; and if we allow three months 

 as the duration of life of a female, it is evident that only al)out six young 

 can be produced in a season. 



