124 HYMENOPTERA 



the deluded flies, until a safe opportunity presents itself, when 



its prey is taken without any 

 chance of failure ; such is its 

 ordinary mode of proceeding. At 

 Bournemouth the flies are more 

 active, more difficult to capture, 

 or have they unmasked the 

 treacherous 3Iellinus ? and is it 

 found necessary to adopt some 

 fresh contrivance in order to 

 accomplish its ends ? if so, it is 



Fig. 48. — Melliims arvensis 9. Britain. *. j z; • t • i • t 



not dencient m devices. I 

 noticed once or twice, what I took to be a dead specimen of 

 Mellimis, lying on patches of cow-dung ; but on attempting 

 to pick them up off they flew ; I at once suspected the crea- 

 ture, and had not long to wait before my suspicions were 

 confirmed. Another, apparently dead fellow, was observed ; and 

 there, neither moving head or foot, the treacherous creature lay, 

 until a fine specimen of a Bluebottle ventured within its grasp, 

 when, active as any puss, the Mellinus started into life, and 

 pounced upon its victim.'' 



Lucas states that in the north of France Mellinus sabulosus 

 provisions its nest with Diptera, which it searches for on the 

 flowers of TJmbelliferae, and then carries to its nest. This is a 

 burrow in the earth, and when it is reached the Hymenopteron 

 deposits its Insect burden for a moment on the ground while it 

 turns round in order to enter the burrow backwards. The same 

 writer states that two varieties of this Insect live together' — or 

 rather in the same colonies — and make use of different species 

 of Diptera, even of different genera, as food for their young. 

 These Diptera are stung before being placed in the nest. The 

 stinging does not kill the Insect, however, for Lucas was able to 

 keep one specimen alive for six weeks after it had passed this 

 trying ordeal. 



Sub-Fam. 8. Philanthides. — Lcibrum small ; anterior wings with 

 three complete submarginal cells ; hind hochj C07istricted at 

 the base but not so as to form a slender jjedicel. 



This sub-family contains Insects resembling wasps or Cra- 

 bronides in appearance, and is, as regards the pronotal structure. 



