BEHAVIOR OF POMPILID WASPS 67 



in closing the hole, from bottom upward, but she had not 

 yet reached the surface. The spider was motionless. The 

 next day it showed faint response to stimulus; then it died. 

 On more than one occasion we have noticed that the prey 

 of this species of Pompiloides are so severely stung that 

 only after two or three days do they show the faintest signs 

 of reviving. 



The Peckhams in both of their wasp publications have 

 a splendid account of the behavior of this wasp, under the 

 name of Pompilus scelestus; in several details our notes 

 substantiate theirs. No other biological notes have been 

 located in the literature, excepting that the insect inhabits 

 mountains at or above an altitude of 5500 feet (fide Slos- 

 son). 



Pepsis dubitata Cress. [S. A. Rohwer]. 



The following paragraphs are merely a description of the 

 efforts and difficulties of a P. dubitata on her homeward 

 journey; if the recitation of the trials and struggles seems 

 wearisome to the reader as he sits at ease, let him consider 

 how much more wearisome was the reality for the little 

 Pepsis under the midday July sun. 



We first discovered her at i p. m., July 29, walking 

 nervously about on the ground in irregular circles, as if 

 seeking something lost. Suddenly she dropped into a tun- 

 nel in the earth, made by some rodent. We watched at 

 this hole for twenty minutes but she did not reappear; 

 when we gave up the vigil and walked about thirty feet 

 away, we found her where she had emerged from another 

 point in the tunnel. She was intensely at work dragging 

 a spider. These insects are rarely met with, so we turned all 

 attention to following every detail of her behavior. 



It was now 1 :2O p. m. She had a huge spider by the 



