296 ME. A. B. WALLACE ON INDIAN ETC. 



Different forms of the Pompilidjh are everywhere abundant in 

 the eastern tropics. The species of Pompilus, Macromerys, and 

 Mygnimia were generally taken in the thick forest, often flying 

 along near the grovmd and among herbage, carrying some cap- 

 tured insect. The Oyeniaa are often seen dragging along spiders. 

 The AmmopJiilaa frequent weedy herbage in hot sunshine. JPe- 

 lopceus hengalensis and other small species were taken in similar 

 situations. JPelopceits javanus enters houses, where it makes 

 small earthen cells, which it stores with spiders rendered torpid. 

 On opening one of these, a small larva was found, with its food. 

 In another instance a cell in my room, after being stopped up, 

 was completely plastered over with mud in an irregular manner, 

 so as to hide its shape. After a fortnight I opened it and found 

 within it a delicate brown cocoon -^-^y inch long, containing a 

 white grub -| the length of the cocoon. The clay cell was very 

 hard and solid ; and it seems extraordinary how the insect could 

 have escaped from it. P. intrudens is the species which takes 

 its place in Celebes, where I have observed it to bring both 

 caterpillars and spiders to its cell. Sphex is a very abundant 

 and characteristic genus, abounding in open sandy places, where 

 they fly about in great numbers, and with enormous velocity and 

 vigour. S. argentata and 8. gratiosa were common in the sandy 

 street of Dobbo in the Aru Islands. S. argentata was found 

 also at flowering shrubs in Celebes; other species were found 

 in forest-paths, and on the sandy banks of drying-up streams. 



The BEMBiciDiB were found burrowing in loose sand, Bembex 

 melancholica being common in such situations all over the archi- 

 pelago. 



The EuMENiD^ are the most abundant, beautiful, and cha- 

 racteristic Hymenoptera of the East. They are found every- 

 where, in gardens, on roadsides, on the margins of streams, and 

 in the forests. They are very difiicult to capture safely, having 

 great power of elongating the abdomen, so that they will twist 

 it round and sting in every direction within a sphei-e of at least 

 two inches diameter round the thorax. JE. quadrispinosus and JE. 

 hlanchardi build pendent cones of soft papery texture on the 

 thatch of houses, as a covering to three or four small, open, 

 earthy cells, in each of which they deposit an egg. 



Bhgnchium and Odynerus are very abundant in species and 

 individuals, and frequent similar situations. 



The VESPiDiB are chiefly represented by the genera Icaria and 



