of varions Bi'itish Insects. 195) 



away by striking too hard at her with my net. Tliis was at the be- 

 ginning of June, M'hen scarcely any specimens of this species were 

 to be observed. More recently, however, towards the end of the 

 same month, the insect became much more numerous, and one 

 whose entire proceedings I observed was much more bold than the 

 former. This one commenced digging a burrow, but being dis- 

 turbed by me, she quitted it and proceeded to commence a fresh one 

 close to the former ; when she had proceeded about the depth of her 

 head I observed that her jaws constituted her chief tools ; with these 

 she brought up particles of sand and bits of stone, creeping backwards 

 to the mouth of the cell ; when a little mound of sand had been ac- 

 cumulated she set about brushing it further from the orifice by means 

 of her fore legs, and it was droll to see the celerity with which these 

 limbs were moved, and the shortness of time required to remove the 

 sand, which was thrown with force beyond the body of the insect, the 

 head of wdiich was kept near to the opening of the burrow. In this 

 manner she proceeded to a depth greater than the length of her own 

 body, so that she was entirely hidden from vieXv for several moments 

 at a time, re-appearing, backwards as usual, with her mouth laden 

 with sand and stones. During the periods whilst thus hidden in the 

 burrow I amused myself with pushing bits of stone larger than usual 

 to the mouth of the hole in order to see her manoeuvres in removing 

 them ; this she entirely effected by the assistance of her jaws, the 

 legs not being employed in the task, even in cases where I placed 

 pieces of stone much larger than her own body, which she removed 

 in this manner. The largest of the three bits of stone which I now 

 exhibit was even dragged to a short distance. During these operations 

 aconsiderable buzzingnoise was occasionally made. Notwithstanding 

 these interruptions she proceeded in her work, and at length flew off. 

 Thinking she had been frightened away I left the spot, but shortly 

 returning, I observed her at about a yard distance from her bur- 

 row engaged in dragging along a large, smooth, green caterpillar, 

 found, I think, upon the broom, and being that of one of the Noctuides; 

 and I noticed that it was only by the assistance of her jaws and fore 

 legs that she had secured her prey, the latter, which served her as 

 arms, being clasped round the body of the caterpillar, and the four 

 hind legs used in walking. When about half a yard distance from 

 her burrows she set down her prey and flew off towards the nest to 

 see that all was right, and returning again, seized the inactive cater- 

 pillar as before, and ascended the bank in a more direct and easy 

 way than she had previously gone. On arriving at the mouth of the 

 cell she again laid down her prey and crept into the hole, but instantly 

 reappeared head foremost, seized the head of the caterpillar with her 



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