910 PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



The first time I saw this was at Hillgrove (2,000 feet) on the Nilgiris 

 where this wasp was very actively collecting flies of sorts attacking the 

 body of a cow. The flies happened to be species of Stomoxys, Lyperosia, 

 and Philcematomyia — all biting flies. 



I again noted this phenomenon at Tanjore in the Plains where the' 

 flies were collected from cart bullocks. I was not able in this case to 

 identify the flies. I am sorry I was not able to follow the wasps in both 

 cases to their nests. 



I believe this appears to be interesting from a veterinary point of 

 view also. 



Does the reader of this paper know whether the wasps stupefy the 

 flies r 



I am sorry- to say that I could not observe this point. 



Species of Bembex are usually found in sandy places but they are so 

 quick on the wing that it is generally very difficult to observe them. 

 Bingham, in his Fauna volurne, notes that they prey on Diptera and 

 states that some Indian species do not close their burrows but keep them 

 open and supply their larvae with fresh food. I am not aware, however, 

 that the species of Diptera so taken have been definitely determined 

 before. 



63.— NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF CANTAO OCEL- 

 LATUS, TH. 



By T. V. Eamakrishna Ayyar, B.A., F.E.S., F.Z.S., Ag. Government 

 Entomologist, Madras. 



^ (Plate 142.) 



During the months from May to July this gay-coloured Pentatomid 

 is found in numbers on Trewia nudifolia, an Euphorbiaceous tree growing 

 abundantly along the banks of the big tanks adjoining the Agricultural 

 College, Coimbatore, South India. Due to the striking colouration and 

 its habit of feeding quite exposed on the tender leaves and succulent 

 fruits of the tree, this bug many a time attracts the attention even of 

 the layman. 



So far as I am aware, very little is on record regarding the early stages 

 and habits of this bug although the insect has been known to science for 

 over a hundred years past. According to Dixon this insect is sparingly 

 found in the Borghat (Bombay) in April-May and appears to play an 

 important part in the pollination of the Moon tree {Macaranga roxburghii).- 

 Green states that in Ceylon this species is- found gregariously twenty or 

 thirty together on single branches of trees. Lefroy in his Indian Insect 

 Life has a word about the insect's habit of sitting on its 



