( xxxix ) 



were represented. Only three retained their bodies, and of 

 these Dr. Eltringham had made out two to be females and one 

 a male. Although so different, the general appearance of the 

 species was similar, all being dark brown in colour with no 

 pattern or one so inconspicuous as to be invisible at a little 

 distance. It seemed probable that the Fossors had caught 

 their prey drinking at mud and had selected females as far 

 as possible. Dr. Carpenter's observation, recorded on p. xlii, 

 supported these suggestions. 



Mr. G. A. J. Rothney had written Oct. 19, 1916 :— 



" The Fossor that stores Skippers is new to me but I 

 have met cases of a first stage in that direction. Vespa cincta, 

 F., the common Indian Hornet, captures Skippers on the wing, 

 strips off the two wings on one side, then holds the other two and 

 squeezes the body dry, drops the body and two wings and flies 

 away. I have recorded the incident in the Entom. Mo. Mag., 

 vol. xiii, 1876-7, pp. 254-5, under ' Squirrel versus Hornet.' 

 I expect Fossors and Wasps have a taste for the fat juicy 

 bodies of Skippers, and as they fly by day they fall a natural 

 prey; but the storing is a distinct advance. The habit of 

 V. cincta is undoubtedly established, not a chance occurrence. 

 The favourite Skipper was a thick-set fleshy one — dull in 

 colour like our tages — ^but with long, pointed wings. There 

 was a prompt, business-like action about the operation which 

 told it was an old game or, as they would say in India, 

 Shikar." 



The only previous observation of the storing of butterflies 

 by wasps was, so far as Prof. Poulton knew, that recorded 

 by Belt in " The Naturalist in Nicaragua " (2nd edition, 

 1888, p. 109) :— 



" There is ... a yellow and black banded wasp that 

 catches them [' Helicouidae,' evidently referring to the trans- 

 parent-winged Ithomiinae] to store his nest with ; and when- 

 ever one of these came about, they would rise fluttering in 

 the air, where they were safe, as I never saw the wasp attack 

 them on the wing. It would hawk round the groups of 

 shrubs, trying to pounce on one unawares; but their natural 

 dread of this foe made it rather difl&cult to do so. AVhen it 

 did catch one, it would qmetly bite off its wings, roll it up 



