482 



INSECTS A1'.1;m\i,. 



been eaten by the Eumenes larva, and the east larval and pupal 

 skins of the Eumenes itself. Just below the figure of the insect 

 on Flate VIII. is shown a small group of the nests. 



Another species, Eumenes comica, builds a very delicate cell, 

 always using a wall or beam for one side of it, so that the most 

 skilful workman can scarcely remove the nest without breaking 

 it. Owing to the thinness of the cell-wall, the larva is very liable 

 to be attacked by parasites, Mr. Home having found that out of 

 five cells only two produced the rightful Eumenes. The colour 

 of the insect is rather curious. The head and thorax are nearly 

 black, but the footstalk and the basal portion of the abdomen are 



orange. Then comes an inter- 

 rupted black bar, and beyond this 

 bar the abdomen is pale yellow 

 and highly polished. 



The preceding insects being 

 Indian, we have here a species 

 from Australia, called Eumenes 

 arcuata. The latter name signi- 

 fies something that is bent like a 

 bow, and refers to the outline of 

 the insect when seen in profile. 

 The wings are pale yellow and 

 polished, and the body is black, 

 smooth, and shining, the black 



bring relieved by sundry spots, streaks, and patches of vivid 



yellow, arranged as seen in the illustration. 



Here is a strange being indeed! A hymenopterous insect 

 with jaws just like those of a stag beetle ! Had the insect been 

 unknown, no entomologist would have dared to say that such a 

 form could be possible. 



This is the most striking of a large genus of Hymenoptera, in 

 all of which the males have exceptionally large jaws. In none, 

 however, is the jaw so enormously developed as in the present 



species. 



As is the case with many insects (for example, our own stag 

 beetle), the jaws of the female arc comparatively small, and show 

 no signs of the enormous development which is found in the 



I'll;. 258.— Eumenes arcuate. 

 (Ulack ami yellow.) 



