HYMENOPTERA. — FOSSORES. 185 
The first of these three groups, INsectivora*, or the Fossores 
Latr., comprises the different families of sand and wood wasps, and 
corresponds for the most part with the Linnean genera Sphex and 
Mutilla, distinguished by having the wings generally developed in 
both sexes (some of the Mutillide excepted), without the existence 
of individuals of the neuter sex, and which consequently are solitary 
in their habits. The legs are formed for walking and burrowing only, 
and are not fitted for collecting pollen, the basal joint of the posterior 
tarsi not being enlarged; the wings are never folded, the tongue is 
never thread-like nor lance-shaped, and the body is not clothed with 
hairs fitted for the transport of pollen. 
In general the females excavate cells in the ground, or in posts, 
&c., in which they deposit, together with their eggs, various larvee or 
perfect insects, and sometimes spiders (according to the species), 
which are destined for the support of their progeny when hatched. 
Occasionally the insects composing this store are first stung to death, 
and then buried: but sometimes they are only slightly stung, so that 
they continue half-alive, to be killed by the larvae when hatched. 
These larvee are white worm-like grubs, destitute of legs, which would 
be an incumbrance to them in their narrow cells. When full grown 


* Bisrtiocr. Rerer. tro THE INsEcTIvoRA or FossoreEs. 
Van der Linden. Obser. sur les Hym. d’Europe de la Fam. Fouisseurs, in Mém. 
Acad. Se. et Belles Lettres, Bruxelles 1827, pt. 1., 1829, pt. 2.; and ditto, 
separately, 1829. 4to. 
Shuckard, in Trans. Ent. Soe. vol. i. A few Observ. on Habits of Indigenous 
Aculeate Hymenoptera. — Ditto, vol. ii. p. 68. ( Description of n, sp. )— Ditto, 
An Essay on the Indigenous Fossorial Hymenoptera, London, 1837. 8vo. 
Dahlbom. Exercitationes Hymenopterologice. 
Rossi, Christius, Jurine, Perty, Spinola, Panzer, Savigny (Egypt), Saint Fargeau 
(Ene. Méth. ). 
“habitudes morales ” of these tribes, as of primary importance in effecting their dis- 
tribution (proved by the identical method of forming their cells). Some of the 
latter (Odyneri) are so closely allied to the sand wasps, that they might with even 
greater propriety be termed folded-winged Insectivorous Praedones than solitary Di- 
ploptera. The economy of the social ants, on the other hand, notwithstanding their 
sociality, is so different from that of the social wasps, that it may, perhaps, be ulti- 
mately questioned, whether it would not be more natural*to adopt a classification, 
founded upon the affinity of the sand wasps and solitary wasps; placing the Scoliid 
and Mutillidz at the head of the former, rather than break this affinity by placing the 
ants between them. 
