( Ixxxv ) 



is enough for a letter. I eagerly wait to hear what you think 

 of the first box of ' War butterflies.' " 



Extraordinary habits of a Fossorial wasp. — The following 

 note on the habits of a Pompilid was dated August 9. It was 

 much to be hoped that Dr. Carpenter would be able to repeat 

 an observation which is so different from all that has been 

 previously recorded of the group. 



" Now a few words about an interesting thing I saw in the 

 forest on the last day I was there (Sunday, Aug. 8). Walking 

 along, my attention was caught by a medium-sized black 

 Pompilid, with blue-black wings — the common type. It was 

 with a big hunting spider, and when I first saw it had apparently 

 just found it and was stinging it. Suddenly the spider escaped, 

 and the Pompilid hurriedly half ran, half flew, up to it and 

 caught it. The spider then remained absolutely motionless 

 on a leaf, in an attitude suggesting complete subservience to 

 the Pompilid — ' do with me what you will,' as it were (remind- 

 ing one of a dog that lies on its back with all legs up in the air 

 when you speak to it harshly !). The Pompilid appeared to 

 be trying to sting it, when the spider suddenly rushed away 

 again, hotly pursued by the fossor, which soon caught it. 

 This time the spider hung from the under surface of a small 

 leaf, and the Pompilid again appeared to be feeling for a soft 

 place to sting, when to my great astonishment it suddenly 

 flew away, having apparently done all it wanted to. The 

 spider hung absolutely limply, as if in the usual semi-paralysed 

 condition. But on examining it I found the Pompilid had 

 deposited an elongate ovum on the side of the spider's abdomen, 

 its long axis corresponding to the long axis of the spider, and 

 its curvature following that of the spider's abdomen. More- 

 over, the spider was in no way paralysed, and when I boxed it 

 was as active as ever, and when I got home leapt out of the 

 box. As I got news just then that I was to move elsewhere 

 on the morrow I let it go. 



" The points of great interest are — 



1. No Pompilid that I have seen hitherto has laid its egg 

 on a spider until the prey had been safely bestowed 

 in a burrow. 



