neio Species of Dtploptera. 107 



leveloping in the mouth. Then there was more trembling 

 md effort, and the front pair of legs were used to brush the 

 irop off the mandibles. There were also frequent visits paid 

 ".o the interior, so that the entrance was in use almost the 

 vvhole time, thus making it impossible to count accurately." 



Then follows an account of the parasite and its method of 

 oviposition. 



'^ The whole time of my observation, about two hours, 

 there were four or five Epitelia aculeata walking about on 

 the outside of the tent. Every now and then one would get 

 close to the base and pierce it with its ovipositor. I timed 

 one for five or six egg-layings, and should give an average of 

 two or three minutes' interval between the eggs. It was, 

 however, very difficult to make sure that I was keeping my 

 eye on the same one, as their movements were very quick, 

 and often two or three would take a short flight of a foot or 

 two from the nest at the same time. The parasites were 

 evidently in fear of their hosts, constantly shifting their 

 position, by sideward and even backward running, so as 

 always to present their faces to the wasps. . . . The length 

 of my observatiou was chiefly due to my wish to detect any 

 host objecting to one of what he ought to regard as most 

 unwelcome guests ; but I could not see the slightest sign of 

 notice on the part of the Synceca. The excitement of the 

 Epitelia was apparently a case of ' the wicked fleeing when 

 no man pursueth.' " 



PoLYBiA, Lepel. 

 Polybia reject a, F. 



Polyhia rejecta, F. Suppl. Eut. Syst. p. 264 (1798) (Cayenne). 

 Pohjbia hicolor, Sm. Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus. vol. v. p. 131 (1857) (Brazil). 

 Folyhia brunnea, Curt. Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. vol. xix. pi. i. p. 25(3 



(1844) (Brazil). 

 Polybia vicina, Sauss. ^Etud. fam. Vesp. vol. ii. p. 189, pi. xxiv. fiff. 7 



(1853) (Brazil). 



P. brunnea, Cxirtis, described first as Myrapetra hrunnea, 

 was one of the species which Saussure had not seen when 

 engaged on his ' Etudes sur les Vespides.'' 



Polybia sylveira, Sauss. 



Polybia sylveircB, Sauss. !6t. fam. Vesp. vol. ii. p. 171, pi. vi. fior. 2 



(1853) (Brazil). 

 Polybia enxuy, Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. (3) i. 6, p. 511 (1863). 



