XXIX 



came out again, seized the larva in the usual place and began 

 to carry it down the reed. Then once more it fixed the larva, 

 examined the hoUov/, returned and dragged "the larva to the 

 opening, again left it and " plunged in itself, but immediately 

 reappearing, drew in the larva head foremost, speedily disap- 

 pearing in the interior." At this point Haliday left the insect, 

 but records the conclusion that in all j)robability " the bore of 

 the reed was employed instead of an artificial funnel, for the 

 cells which should contain the progeny of the Bethylus, with 

 its store of provision." 



It was possible that Mr. Hamm's Bethylid was engaged, 

 just like Haliday 's, in seeking for a hole, but being confined 

 in a box and unable to follow the normal instincts, it laid eggs 

 on the prey and continued to carry it about after they had 

 hatched. It was to be hoped that the observation might be 

 repeated under conditions which would permit of the prey 

 being stored. 



Dr. David Sharp, F.R.B. (" Insecta," I, pp. 535-6), had 

 doubtfully placed the Bethylids among the Proctotrupidae, 

 pointing out that Haliday 's observation was unconfirmed. 

 Complete confirmation was now forthcoming, not only by 

 Mr. Hamm's record but by many others published in recent 

 years in the Proc. Hawaiian Ent. Soc. The facts there made 

 known by Mr. J. C. Bridwell and others conclusively showed 

 that the habits of these remarkable insects are those of 

 Fossorial Aculeates. 



Dr. R. C. L. Perkins, F.R.S., had very kindly drawn up an 

 abstract of the . chief results which have been arranged as 

 in the classification of the species according to their habits 

 adopted by Bridwell, and here quoted in a condensed form 

 on p. xxxi. The years and pages quoted refer to the Proc. 

 Hawaiian Ent. Soc. 



(1) Epyris extraneus Bridwell. — Francis X. Williams 

 describes this species (1918, pp. 55-63) as stinging a Tene- 

 brionid larva twice her length, carrying the heavy load off on 

 her back, and wedging it between pieces of earth while she 

 finds a suitable nesting-place, the procedure thus resembling 

 that described by Haliday. The life-history of E. extraneus 

 is given in great detail and fully illustrated. 



