of the Aculeate Hymenoptera. 57 



convey its prey by means of its hinder legs. Pompilus and Amnio- 

 phila walk backwards, dragging it with their mandibles ; and the 

 perseverance with which they overcome all difficulties, and place it 

 where they have selected their hiding-place, is remarkable. Astata, 

 Tachytes, Psen, Crabro, MelUmis, and Cerceris fly boldly and directly 

 forward with it in their mandibles, assisted by their fore legs. It would 

 be desirable to ascertain if the several species are restricted to one 

 kind of prey. As far as my observation goes I have found it to be the 

 case, and generally that prey consists of lan'se, I sup2:)ose from their 

 being more succulent, and yielding more nutriment than the perfect 

 insect ; and it is a remarkable circumstance that, however sanguinary 

 and bold they may be in their attack upon their victims, I have never 

 observed any but the species of the genus Vespa feeding upon their 

 ravin, nor have I observed any but females make the attack. It would 

 therefore seem that maternal solicitude alone prompts them in their 

 apparent rapacity, for it is to the nectar of flowers that they resort 

 for their own subsistence. They differ much with regard to their 

 prey, as far as my obsei'vation goes : the prey of Pompilus viaticus, 

 fuscus„ exultatus, and ylbhus consists of diff'erent species of spiders ; 

 P. niger attacks a small sandy- coloured larva. Ammophila hirsuta 

 and vulgaris I have detected dragging along large black spiders, 

 very much swoln, I presume from the efl"ects of the venom with which 

 the insect renders them torpid. Psen equestris and hicolor bring 

 home the larvse of Homopterous insects, which dilFer; and it is a curi- 

 ous fact that the hicolor is gregarious and the equestris solitary in its 

 habits. Astata Boops diminishes the numbers of the larvse of Pen- 

 tatoma bidens, for I have frequently taken it on Hampstead Heath 

 with that prey. Pernphredon unicolor preys upon an Aphis. Lyrops, 

 or more properly Tachytes pompiliformis, I have caught with the 

 larva of a small Lepido^itera ; Oxybelus uniglumis, with a small Di- 

 pterous perfect insect; Crabro cribrarius andpatellattis, with Dip tera 

 also, as well Mellinus arvensis. Cerceris Iceta, according to Latreille, 

 quoted by Mr. Curtis, jsreys on an Andrena, and Philanthus Diadema 

 upon a species of Hal ictus. 



These few observations will show what a field lies open for the 

 observer, and what a harvest remains to be reaped. 



I think I have sufficiently proved, what I set out with the intention 

 of doing, that the discovery made by St. Fargeau does not admit of 

 general application, and must be restricted to the Fossores that ni- 

 dificate in sand and earth ; and that the use of the spines of the 

 hinder tibiae is certainly not to aid immediately in the conveyance 

 of prey, although it generally accompanies the ciliation of the anterior 

 tarsi, but may rather be considered as instruments for assisting the 

 insect to burrow. 



