314 An Indian Building Insect. 



AN INDIAN BUILDING INSECT {PELOPCEUS 

 MADBASPATANUS.) 



BY E. C. BEAVAN, LIEUT. BENGAL SURVEY. 



In India, more so perhaps than in England, are to be seen, 

 close to our very doors, an infinity of the wonderful productions 

 of insects which, while they appear only curious to an ordinary 

 observer, afford to a thoughtful mind proof of the great wisdom 

 and regard displayed in the economy of even the smallest and, 

 to us, apparently the most insignificant creatures. 



There lies now before me the nest of a small species of 

 Hymenopterous insect, which, by its size and solid appearance, 

 would naturally lead one to suppose that the builder of it was 

 considerably larger than it really is, and, as this structure of 

 mud is commonly found in every verandah in this part of the 

 country, and sometimes even in our rooms at this time of 

 year, a few facts regarding the modus operandi of the architect 

 may perhaps not be unacceptable to some of your readers. 

 Before attempting a description, I would for a moment make 

 a remark or two on the study of insect life in India. There 

 are, I doubt not, numbers who take an interest in the subject, 

 and would wish to pursue their investigations further, if they 

 could but procure any work of reference which described our 

 common insects, and, by means of figures, gave to the most 

 uninitiated in the science of entomology the means of easily 

 identifying an insect when captured. Such, I regret to say, is 

 still a desideratum, and in order to find out any particular 

 family or genus one has at present to wade through several 

 English or French works on general entomology, too often 

 with a very unsatisfactory result. 



With the hope that others may be induced to assist in sup- 

 plying this deficiency by recording their personal observations, 

 I have ventured to send you this slight contribution towards a 

 better acquaintance with some of the wonders around us, and 

 must plead indulgence for the poor attempts of an amateur in 

 this delightful branch of the study of Nature's works. 



The insect I have alluded to belongs, aS far as I can ascer- 

 tain, to the family Fossores, of the Hymenoptera Aculeata. 

 On examining it, the first peculiarity that strikes one is the 

 very slender peduncle which connects the thorax with the abdo- 

 men, and it affords a matter for much wonder how such a mere 

 thread can contain all the muscles, and connecting-tubes 

 necessary to enable the insect to use his sting and perform the 

 functions of life. 



The nest it constructs is about three inches long, two deep, 



