48 GUIDE TO INSECTS. 



species attack and kill even the large species of Mygale. The Sal ins 

 will hover round the nest of the Mygale and sometimes entice it out 

 by touching the spider's web, it will then pounce on the spider and 

 render it helpless by stinging it. Sometimes a struggle takes place, 

 and the two will roll over and over, but the wasp is nearly always 

 victorious. A specimen of Salius decljax from German East Africa, 

 with the Mygale which it had caught and was carrying away, are 

 exhibited. 

 Wall- In this case are exhibited a series of nests made by various wasps, 



case 12. Among these are numerous cells or nests built of mud by species of 

 Pelopceus. 



Pelopceus figulus (401) and P. liistrio (402) form groups or 

 masses of cells. Examples are exhibited in wall-case 12 and in 

 table-case 51. These cells when completed are filled with insects, or 

 more generally with spiders, to serve as food for the larvas of the 

 wasps. The remains of the spiders can be seen in the nest of 

 Pelopceus bilineatus from N. W. India, exhibited in table-case 51, and 

 in the nest of Pelopceus chalgbeus from Natal in the same case. The 

 cells of this species are placed in pieces of bamboo. Pelopceus Icetus 

 from Australia (393) and P. maclraspatanus from N. TV. India some- 

 times built separate cells, as shown in table-case 51, but a curious 

 group of cells formed by the latter species in a deserted bird's nest 

 should be noticed in wall-case 12 (391). 



The species of Grabro form burrows in various places ; some 

 in the ground, others in decayed wood, in bramble stems, (fee. 

 The cells are stored with insects, most commonly perhaps with 

 Diptera. An example of a piece of willow with cells of Grabro 

 cephalotes from Barnes Common is shown in table-case 51. 



The species of Oclgnerus avail themselves of any suitable hole in 

 which to make their mud nests. Two curious examples are exhibited ; 

 one built in the centre of a reel of cotton, the other in a blind 

 tassel (415). 



Among other clay nests that specially deserve notice are some 

 built by species of Eumenes in the shape of vases (449, fig. 48). 

 Another standing with these, from Aden, and evidently formed by 

 a member of this genus, is noteworthy for the size of the stones 

 fixed on to the outside (447). It is remarkable that such a small 

 insect could carry and manipulate stones of this weight. The size 

 of the insect can be judged by the hole through which it emerged 

 from the nest (fig. 49). 



