ON NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN HYMENOPTERA. 283 
Bembex, whose nest he had found, was, at the time he chanced on it, 
feeding its grub in the same way as I now observed this Bembex 
doing, but as the proceeding was so opposed to all the previously 
observed habits of the Fossores I felt inclined to think he had been 
mistaken. Here, however, was strong confirmation of the fact. And 
a wonderful fact it is that the Bembecide of all the  fossorial 
Hymenoptera should be the sole insects which, like the social bees, con- 
tinually tend and feed their grubs after they are hatched. I do not 
know whether the Bembecide in other countries have the same habit, 
Judging from the following statements by Kirby and Packard, I 
should say not invariably. ‘* These insects form their burrows in the 
sand, scratching a hole with their fore-feet like a dog, as observed by 
Sir S. 8. Saunders, in the Jonian islands, and lay up a store of Diptera 
or Hymenoptera which they sometimes capture on the wing and 
sometimes fairly stalk down; then they deposit their eggs and close 
up the hole.” (Kirby, Text-book of Entomology, p. 123.) 
“The female Bembex burrows in sand to a considerable depth 
burying various species of Diptera (Syrphide, Muscide, &c.) and 
depositing her eggs at the same time in company with them, upon 
which the larvee when hatched subsist. When a sufficient store has 
been collected the parent closes the mouth of the cell with earth.” 
(Packard: Guide to the study of Insects, p. 164.) On the other 
hand confirmation of the facts noticed by Mr. Weston and myself is 
given by Professor Duncan in “ Transformations of Insects,” p. 239, 
from which I extract the following :— 
“The examples we have offered showing the habits of the fossorial 
Hymenoptera have a certain sameness, for in every instance the female 
builds the nest, fills each cell with victims for the future larva, lays an 
ege close by them and shuts up the habitation, and then dies without 
ever seeing its progeny.” 
“ But M. Fabre, of Avignon, has described the habits of Bembex 
vidua, which are certainly most remarkable and suggestive, and 
probably very rare, in the history of the Hymenoptera. In this 
species the female does not close up the cell, but penetrates into it 
every day, carrying a fresh victim for the larva ; and it always chooses 
a fly. Here is a case of a female insect caring for its larva which 
it sees, and which it notices to eat and care for food, so that 
