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V. Notes on the Habits of some Hymenopterous Insects from the North-west Provinces 

 of India. By CnA^L^B Kom^, Usq,, B.aS., RZ.S. With an Appendix, con^ 

 taining Descriptions of some new Species of Apidw and Vespidce collected by 

 Mr. Home : by Frederick Smith, of the British Museum. Illustrated by Plates 

 from Drawings by the Author of the Notes. 



Read June lOtli, 1869. 



[Plates XIX. to XXII.] 



I HAVE been encouraged to arrange these Notes in consequence of the interest 

 expressed on looking over my drawings by many of our leading entomologists, more 

 especially by Mr. F. Smith, the well-known hymenopterist of the British Museum, who 

 has so much assisted me in naming known and describing new species. The habits of 

 some of these were little, if at all, previously known ; and I trust that other students of 

 nature, with more time at their disposal than I had in India, may take up this very 

 interesting tribe of insects. 



Upper Norwood, April 1869. 



Fam. SPHEGID^. 



Pelopceus madraspatakus, Fabr. (Plate XXI. figs. 6 & 7.) 



This is perhaps the most common of the insects of this genus found in the North-west 

 Provinces, India, and one which attracts the attention of the casual observer. 



Its ordinary name amongst Europeans is the " mud-dauber." Its cells are found in 

 the oddest places, but chiefly about the rooms of houses. They are generally constructed 

 from June to October ; and the insect is seldom to be seen at all after November, dis- 

 appearing until the close of the cold weather, le, in February or March. 



It may then be observed, but sparingly, as the individuals may be said to have 

 emerged from the pupa-state before their time. 



In May, June, and July, however, they may often be seen sitting by small muddy 

 puddles near wells, working up the mud into little pellets about the size of buck shot, 

 and then flying off with them in or, rather, under their mouths. These are taken to 

 some corner of a window-sill, or hollow in a rough wall, and deposited on the spot 

 which has been previously carefuUy selected by the insect. As it is perfectly fearless 

 when engaged in cell-building, and as many of the positions selected are very open, it is 

 easy to observe its habits. 

 This is one of the species which sometimes uses a cavity such as that left by the 



VOL. VII. — PART III. April, 1870. ^ 



