Wh, 
ceding species, stings her prey much less severely than the latter, 
so that finally the ‘beetle larva attacked may for a time regain 
most of its normal activity. 
The following are some of my observations on the onslaughts 
of Methoca: 
@ctober 24°10) a: ms: I placed a female M. punctata in a 
tumbler supplied with soil and tiger-beetle larvae. On looking 
into the tumbler a moment later I saw one of the larvae holding 
the wasp amidships in her jaws. She was held thus for over a 
second, during which period she w as endeavoring to reach and 
sting the throat of her captor, and, accomplishing this, was re- 
leased and came to the surface of the ground, apparently rather 
dazed or crippled. She crawled about flatly on the soil and 
brushed herself. But placing her near the scene of the recent 
struggle, she reconnoitered and, entering the burrow again, ap- 
parently with care, stung the Cicindela, now nearly quiet, in or 
near the mouth, crawled over its body, Aas it here and 
there, and, pulling it upwards, worked upon the ventral part of 
the thorax. She remained in the burrow for about thirty min- 
utes, but the egg was deposited some time later. 
At 3:50 p. m. I noticed that this wasp had stung another 
cicindelid larva, the latter being one-third out of the burrow and 
resting upon its back. Methoca soon entered the burrow, and 
seizing her prey by the posterior end, pulled it within, where it 
was subjected to a vigorous kneading process, the wasp pinching 
it especially about fe thorax. Finally she placed herself venter 
to venter and head to head on the thorax of her prey and remained 
thus for a few seconds, presumably ovipositing. Then she climbed 
out of the hole and brushed herself. Like the first larva, this 
one was left with the head at the top of the burrow. 
October 25, 10:50 a. m.: Methoca placed with tiger-beetle 
larva which was some way down its tunnel. Down the latter the 
wasp crept carefully, tailfirst and facing her big opponent. The 
larva soon snapped, and thereupon the wasp grasped in her man- 
dibles a small root that projected into the burrow above her prey. 
She evidently thought this rootlet a part of the larva’s head, for 
holding it firmly fie stung at it repeatedly. But a moment later 
I saw the wasp _a little further in the hole and firmly held 
the cicindelid’s jaws, the larva moving violently and emitting a 
brownish mouth fluid. The larva stung, soon quieted down, was 
duly malaxated, oviposited on and the burrow filled up above it. 
October 26, 11 a. m.: Wasp soon located her snapping prey, 
and proceeding carefully down its burrow, grasped in her man- 
dibles a palpus or mandible of the cicindelid, and holding fast, 
bent her body beneath the head of her prey, endeavored to sting 
