Hynienoptera Orien talis. 103 



Pelopeous madraspatanus. 



Of this abundant species (commonly called the mud- 

 dauber) an interesting account is given by Home {Trans. 

 Linn. Soc. VII., p. 161 — 163). In May, June and July the 

 females are found congregating by small puddles near 

 wells, treading the mud into little pellets of about the 

 size of buck-shot, which, when ready, are brought in the 

 mouth of the insect to the place where the nest is to be 

 constructed. This is in the most various situations. In 

 window-sills, in hollows in walls, in locks, in any cavity 

 between the wall and door-frame ; in a depression on the 

 floor, anywhere, in fact, inside or near a house. Home relates 

 how one individual commenced to build in the corner of a 

 door-frame, where it was crushed every time the door was 

 opened. Six times did the industrious creature commence 

 its habitation only to have it crushed every time. It takes 

 about a day to complete a cell ; two, or three, or five are 

 built together, the whole being then covered over with a 

 smooth coating of mud, so that it looks like a dab of mud 

 accidentally left on the wall. When the cell is finished it is 

 filled with small spiders to the number of twenty. Spiders 

 are the regular prey of the Pelopoeiis, but Home has also 

 seen it store small green caterpillars. 



In the pupa state it remains from one to six months 

 according to the season. 



Pelopeous bilineatus. 



Unlike P. Madraspatamis, this form does not frequent 

 houses, but builds on hedges and trees, a favourite position 

 being a fork in the bough of Lawsonia spinosa. As a con- 

 sequence of the more exposed situation chosen for its nests, 

 these are much more solidly built. 



Smith thinks that P. bilineatus is only a form of 

 Madraspatamis. 



