494 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



South American Fauna — Ant-Eaters, Alpacas, Guanaco Llama, cast of the 

 gigantic Sloth, Megatherium, Birds, etc. 



North American Fauna — Birds, a large collection of all the classes found 

 here; Mammals, Northern Hare, Wood Hare, Porcupine, Beaver, Yellow-bellied 

 Marmot, Rocky Mountam Striped Squirrel, Grey, Red and Western Fox Squir- 

 relSj Woodchucks, Rocky Mountain Sheep and Goat, Virginia Deer, Mule Deer, 

 American Elk, Woodland Caribou, Mexican Deer, American Bison, Mounted 

 skeleton of Mastodon Panther, Canada Lynx, Bay Lynx, American Wild Cat, 

 Grey Wolf, Arctic Grey, Red Kit and Prairie Foxes, Coyote, Black, Polar and 

 Grizzly Bears, Fisher, Wolverine, American Sable, Weasel, Woold Ermine, Mink, 

 Mexican Otter, Skunk, American Badger, Mexican Badger, American Otter, 

 Raccoon, Civet Cat, Harbor Seal, Harp Seal, Sea Lion, etc. 



One room contains representatives of Polyps in glass, colored like the origi- 

 nal, they are very beautiful, with hues that rival our most brilliant flowers. 



Taking this museum as a whole, I think it is one of the best places in Amer- 

 ca for students in natural science. The large rooms in the Agassiz addition are 

 not yet finished. Thousands of specimens are ready to be placed in them. Time 

 would fail me to tell of the countless boxes, barrels, trays, jars, etc., that are 

 filled with valuable specimens from all the domains of science, stored away for 

 future exhibition, study or exchange. 



I have only been a short time in the museum and my time has been occupied 

 in unpacking, mending, and cleaning the collections I have made during the 

 present season, among the rich fossiliferous beds of Kansas, so I have had little 

 time to examine the museum collections. This I trust will excuse the imperfect 

 manner in which I have written, but I hope I have said enough to give the reader 

 a sHght insight into the wonders from all parts of the world gathered here. 



The public are admitted into the exhibition rooms from 9 A. M. to 5 P. M., 

 and on Sundays from i to 5 P. M. 



SOME LARGE MEMBERS OF THE WASP FAMILY. 



BY REV. L. J. TEMPLIN. 



While spending the last summer in Colorado I was permitted to see some of 

 our largest wasps, that I had never seen before, and observed some of their habits 

 that were of interest to me. I allude to the gigantic Digger Wasp {Stizus grandis, 

 Say), and the Tarantula killer {Fepsis formosa , Say). 



The former of these I observed in the act of capturing and carrying off a 

 large specimen of Harvest Fly, {Cicada canicularis,) with which this species is ac- 

 customed to provision its nests. Their habit is to sting their prey just enough to 

 paralyze but not to kill it. In this condition it is placed in a hole previously pre- 

 pared, in which a single egg is laid and the hole is then carefully filled and 

 smoothed over with such nicety as generally to elude the sharpest scrutiny of 



