I I 8 HYMENOPTERA 



it being one of the strange facts of nature that these high 

 endowed creatures never even see the offspring for whose welfa 

 they labour with such extraordinary ingenuity and perseveran( 

 Neitlier can we suppose that they have a conception of 

 derived from a knowledge of their own individual history ; f 

 their very complete metamorphosis is scarcely reconcilable wi 

 any such recollection on their part. It may possibly therefo 

 be the case that, having no idea whatever of the offspring, thf 

 are equally destitute of any conception that it will be destroyed I 

 the operations of the Larradn. However this may be, Whitte 

 informs us that both wasps skirmish about for a little as if eac 

 were mistrustful and somewhat afraid of the other ; this ends \ 

 the Pelopaeus withdrawing its opposition and by the Larrac 

 taking possession of the cell, which it then proceeds to divic 

 into two, using for the purpose of the partition portions of tl 

 material of the nest itself; possibly it is only a contraction < 

 the size of the cell, not a true division, that is effected ; howev( 

 this may be, after it is accomplished the Larrada deposits i 

 own egg in the cell, having, it is believed by Whittell, previous] 

 destroyed that of the Peloixieus. Judging from what occurs i 

 other species it is, however, more probable that the destructio 

 of the egg or young of the Peloixims is carried out by the lar^' 

 of the Larrada and not by the parent-wasp. From a remar 

 made by Maindron as to the proceedings of Larrada modestt 

 in Ternate, it seems probable that its habits may prove to I 

 similar to those of L. australis, for it frequents the nests ( 

 Pelopaeus after they have been completed. 



Sub-Fam. 4. Trypoxylonides. — Differ from Larrides hy tli 

 inner margin of the eyes leing concave, and the margint 

 cell not apjiendiculate. {Ln Trypoxylon there is only o% 

 distinct suhnarginal and one distinct cliscoidal cell, a secon 

 of each leing indicated faintly.) 



The nervuration of Trypoxylon is very peculiar, and diffei 

 from that of the widely-distributed genus Pison, though accordin 

 to Kohl's views the two may be correctly associated to fori 

 this sub-family. The species of Trypoxylon are apparently rathe 

 fond of human propinquity, and build clay- or mud-nests in c 

 near houses. T. cdhitarse has this habit, and is well known i: 

 Southern Brazil imder the name of " Marimboiida da casa " 



