The Hunting Wasps 



his, Eristalis o'neus, E. septdchralis, Merodon 

 spinipes, Syrphus corolla, Helophiltis trivit- 

 tatus and Zodion notatiim. Her favourite 

 game consists of Bombylii, or Bee-flies, and 

 Anthrax-flies.^ 



4. Bembex Julii (sp. nov.). The egg is 

 laid on a Sphserophoria or on a Pollenia 

 floralis. The provisions are a hotchpotch of 

 Syrphus corolla, Ech'inoinyia rubescens, E. 

 intermedia, Gonia atra, Pollenia floralis, P. 

 ruficollis, Clytia pelliicens, Liicilia Casar, 

 Dexia rustica and Bombylius. 



5. Bembex rostrata. Fab. This is pre- 

 eminently a consumer of Gad-flies. She lays 

 her egg on a Syrphus corolla or a Lucilia 

 Casar, after which she feeds her larva ex- 

 clusively on big game belonging to the various 

 species of the genus Tabanus. 



6. Bembex bidentata, V. L. Another ar- 

 dent huntress of Gad-flies. I have never 

 seen her pursue other game and I do not 

 know on what Fly the egg is laid. 



This great variety of provisions shows 

 that the Bembex have no exclusive tastes and 

 fall upon any species of Flies, indifferently, 

 which the hazards of the chase place within 



^Cf. The Life of the Fly: chaps, ii and iv. — Trans- 

 lator's Note. 



292 



