Crabro cephalotes 299 



Rhingia, Catabomba and Helophilus respectively. No family of 

 flies except the Syrphidae was represented. The complete list is as 

 follows : 



Syrphus balteatus 60 



S. luniger 5 



S. vitripennis 4 



S. corollae 4 



S. auricoUis 3 



S. albistr ictus 1 



Platychirus albwianus 9 9 



P. scutatus ? 2 



P. peltatus 1 



Melanostoma mellinum 7 



M. scalar e ? 2 



Rhingia campestris 13 



Catabomba pyrastri 1 



Helophilus pendulus 1 



113 



Early in October the log was thoroughly explored, and an 

 attempt was made to follow out the windings of the galleries, 

 but the extreme friability of the decaying heart-wood made this 

 very difficult. 



The first thing that struck one was the absence of any attempt 

 to seal or mask the tunnels which were entirely open to any 

 chance intruder. Indeed a family of wood-lice was found three 

 inches down the tunnel of wasp No. 1. There was nothing to prevent 

 any enemy from entering. While at work the wasps had never 

 manifested any interest in other insects in the neighbourhood of 

 their burrows, nor did they finally make any provision for keeping 

 them out. While watching the operations of wasp No. 1 a few 

 insects had been seen to enter the tunnel, including Phoridae, one 

 of which was secured, and a Muscid fly ( ? Tachina) and an Ichneu- 

 monid which unfortunately evaded capture. 



The main tunnels were clear, and penetrated the wood for 

 several inches, with abrupt turnings on no definite plan. From 

 these proceeded side galleries in which were found " sawdust," the 

 debris of flies, and the brown cocoons containing the fully-fed wasp 

 larvae. Sections of the log showed that these were dotted here 

 and there throughout the soft heart- wood precisely hke the raisins 

 in a Christmas pudding. 



k 



