ATJSTEALIAN" HTMEIfOPTERA ACULEATA. 321 



Sphex ephippitjm, Sm. 



These are underground builders. One whicli I observed on 

 Nov. 4, 1883, emerged and brought up earth 15 times in the 

 course of 11 minutes. I once saw one pounce upon an insect 

 which I took for a cricket. They cover up the opening of their 

 nest every night when their labours are done. They are not 

 particular as to site, sometimes mining under a shrub in loose 

 garden soil, at others in the hardened ground of a well-trodden, 

 but not gravelled footpath. 



Laeetdje. 



Pisoisr Spinol^, Shuck., and perplexus, Smith. 



The nests are exceedingly brittle, and are apparently formed 

 of small particles of loose dry earth stuck together by some 

 gummy fluid secreted by the wasps. They fill their nests ex- 

 clusively with small spiders, and the larva makes itself a dull 

 grey brittle sheU in the cell. [The specimens to which this 

 observation applies appear to represent two species ; both pro- 

 bably have similar habits. — W. F. K.] 



Bembicidje. 



BeMBEX TRIDEJiTTIEEE, Sm. 



These build underground nests. 



DiPLOPTEEA, 

 EUMENES LaTEEILIII, SuUSS. 



Towards the end of last year (1883) I had an opportunity of ob- 

 serving how these wasps build their nests, at Mackay, Queensland. 



As to the choice of position of the nest I was unable to find 

 out what the wasps preferred. The only nests I discovered were 

 in out-houses on perpendicular walls sometimes high, sometimes 

 low, and the presence of man (or bees or other insects) did not 

 disturb them in the least while building. On one occasion I found 

 a wasp building on a door of a shed which was in constant use. 



When the wasp has chosen the spot on which she intends to build 

 she goes in search of water (either stagnant or running), but the 

 particular one which I observed obtained water from the trickling 

 overflow of a leaking pipe. She goes to the water and drinks 

 or rather takes in a supply, and then flies to a clod of not very 

 hard clay-loam. With her mandibles and first pair of legs she 

 scrapes up small particles of the clay, discharging water during 



