296 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII, 
the other end, i.e., the end from which it started, being closed from the first. 
When a structure has reached this practically complete stage, with one end 
open, it is left to dry. Whenthe wasp has used up its load of clay in adding a 
layer, it invariably goes inside the building. Why it should do this I do not 
know ; either to push the wall outwards to prevent a collapse, or merely for 
inspection! As far as I have been able to observe, this wasp works at the con- 
struction and storage of its cells during the hours of daylight. As soon as the 
sin sinks it leaves off although it is still quite bright and darkness has not set 
in. During the night the wasp is not anywhere near the cells and does not come 
near them till the following morning. 
Storage of Cells. 
After a cell has been finished and has dried, it is filled with food (for the larva) 
which consists of spiders. The spiders were very kindly examined and identified 
by Dr. Gravely. A male has been identified as a member of the Oxyopide 
family and almost certainly as a member of the genus Oxyopes, while females 
belonged to the Clubionide. A closer identification could not be given as the 
spiders obtained by me were in a very damaged condition after the ravages of the 
larva. I have sent some more spiders* which I trust will be in a better state 
and will not be so difficult to determine. The spiders usually stored belong to 
the Oxyopide and Clubionide families; but one day I saw a wasp carrying a 
spider to its cell, and on making the wasp release the spider. I found that it 
was of quite a different species to that usually collected. I sent it to the 
Society for identification and was informed that it was a species of Araneus. 
I broke a newly constructed cell to see if the spiders were put in at the same 
time as a Jayer of mud was added, but found that the cell was empty. 
Breeding of Larve inside Cells. 
On examining the contents of some cells I found that after they had been 
elled with spiders, an egg is laid, which develops into a small white larva. This 
*These spiders sent have been identified by Dr. F. H. Gravely of the Madra 
Museum—one specimen belonged to the genus Araneus (= petra) and six t 
the Salticid genus Rhene and three remaining specimens were immature Thomisids 
