The Biiprestis-hzmting Cerceris 17 



the west to the east of France, from the depart- 

 ment of the Landes to that of Vaucluse, the 

 Cerceris remains faithful to her favourite prey ; 

 longitude makes no difference to her predilec- 

 tions ; a huntress of Buprestes among the 

 maritime pines of the sand-dunes along the 

 coast remains a huntress of Buprestes among 

 the olive-trees and evergreen oaks of Provence. 

 She changes the species according to place, 

 climate, and vegetation, which alter the nature 

 of the insect population so greatly ; but she 

 never departs from her favoured genus, the 

 genus Buprestis. What can her reason be ? 

 That is what I shall try to show. 



B 



