PEOM THE NOETH-WEST PEOYINCES OE INDIA. 165 



Fam. LARRID^. 



Parapison KUFiPES, Smith. (Plate XXI. j&gs. 1, 1 a, 1 b.) 



This insect, which appears not to have heen before noticed, has been described by 

 Mr. F. Smith. It constructs a mass of loosely arranged cells of earth attached to some 

 hanging object, such as a creeper, tendril, or pendent straw, or even a curled dry leaf. 

 The interior of the cell is strengthened by a very fine glutinous silky-looking substance ; 

 and this is the more necessary, as the least damp would otherwise destroy the whole 

 fabric. 



I believe the insect to apply some kind of gluten, whilst the pupa secures its safety 

 by spinning a very slight silken web within its abode. The cells are very globular, and 

 are filled with the smallest spiders, of which I counted eighteen in two chambers. 

 These are generally of a pale grey-green colour, and their plumpness is curious. Some- 

 times, however, it builds on walls with more or less regularity. {Vide PL XXI. figs. 1, 

 la, & \h,) The pellets used in construction are, comparatively with the size of the 

 insect, very large, and loosely attached to one another : very little smoothing is effected 

 exteriorly ; and were it not for the interior binding together of the particles, the cell 

 would apparently fall to pieces of itself. 



A small Pemphredon^ or another even smaller species, often takes possession of the 

 cells of this insect, rendering the identification of the pupa very difficult. The 

 chrysalis is more ovate in form than that of Pemphredon ; I have no drawing of the 

 grub. 



The earth brought is prepared by water, as is the case with all clay-cell-building 

 insects which I have observed ; and the insect affects the vicinity of water, and hence 

 probably is seldom found far from wells. It builds in September and October ; and the 

 perfect insect sometimes emerges early, although it often delays its appearance until the 

 spring (viz. March or April) of the following year, when the heat sets in. 



PisoJsriTUS KUGosus, Smith. (Plate XXI. figs. 5 & 5a.) 

 This insect was most abundant in my court-house at Mainpuri. The door-posts had 

 been made of old wood which were full of small and large screw-holes, which were 

 used by it for the purpose of storing the tiny spiders which it provides for its larva. 



As a proof that it can build with clay, although I never found its cells in any other 

 position than in that above described, I may state that when the hole was too large for 

 its purpose, it used to fill it in all round with clay, and closed the mouth of its cell with 

 a similar material. 



