50 



a caterpillar heavier than itself. Pelopceus musters four 

 species. The smallest lives apparently parasitically in the 

 chrysalis case of a Promecodcris, instead of building a nest. 

 Pompilus, with one or two allied genera, contains nineteen 

 species, and includes the giants of the order. Of the Ceabeionidjb 

 five or six genera occur. Ordbro and Cerceris contain each 

 three species ; Philantlius, nine ; Odynerus, four ; Pumenes, with 

 an ally, seven ; and another genus, resembling Odynerus, five. 

 The last differs from its next in kin, by having the third 

 abdominal segment so large that the whole of the remainder of 

 the abdomen can be withdrawn within it, telescope-fashion. 

 Almost all of these exhibit one or other interesting trait of 

 character. To mention one will suffice for the present. So- 

 called "bunged eyes" are of common occurrence during the 

 summer months, but their cause seems still undetected. Now 

 it is well known that at that season certain Muse idee infest the 

 eyes of man and animals very annoyingly. A small Odynerus 

 resembling these somewhat in coloration, hunts them and 

 frequently takes them boldly from the human person, dashing 

 boldly among them upon the hand, in the face, or even the eye, 

 wherever they happen to be assembled, attacks one with his 

 sting, grips it with the last pair of legs and flies off with it in 

 less time than it takes to tell. People feeling this uncere- 

 monious onslaught, naturally or habitually put up their hand 

 to catch or kill the intruder. If they happen to succeed in 

 arresting it, it is at their cost, for feeling itself held, the 

 Odynerus inflicts a sting in return and flies off, for its great 

 hardness saves it from harm. The pain at first is scarcely per- 

 ceptible, but grows — creeps, would be a better expression — 

 rapidly more intense, causing a swelling of the affected part, 

 in which it resembles the sting of certain Myrmicides. So far 

 personal experience goes, but having been curiously free from 

 induced swelling of the kind (even the sting of a bee near the 

 eye left but a very slight trace after the abatement of the first 

 pain), I have never suffered by this malady, and cannot testify 

 to the effect upon others not so circumstanced, yet have 

 frequently seen the Odynerus at work near the very eyes of 

 people subject to the complaint. Another point is, that the 

 little insect is especially busy in the early morning of very hot 

 days. Without wishing it understood as attributing to it m 

 toto this malady, yet I suspect it strongly as one of the causes. 

 Further, I found that the application of ammonia in the earlier 

 stages removed the pain in a few minutes in several cases, 

 which would prove to some extent that it was due to some 

 animal virus, if I mistake not. 



The Vespidj2 number about eight species in one or two 

 genera, some being pretty large insects, but none as fierce as 



