[meets. 2551 



Miscophus tricolor. This rare insect preys upon spiders, and burrows in sandy 

 banks. 



Astata boops. On the 6th of August, 1849, I observed the female — in the act of 

 burrowing — constantly retreating backward, and kicking the loose particles to a short 

 distance : another I captured at the moment she was entering her burrow, with a larva 

 of Pentatoma bidens. I then carefully dug down to the bottom of the burrow, which 

 was not more than three inches below the surface, and in the cell I discovered five 

 other larvce of Pentatoma, laid in regular order sideways : upon the outer one a small 

 larva was feeding. This proves that the egg is deposited upon the first larva stored 

 up, and the nest subsequently furnished with the required number. 



Oxybelus uniglumis. This active little creature stores up flies, and deposits her 

 egg upon the first she conveys in, as I have this year also verified. 



Crabro cribrarius, patellatus, cephalotes, vagus, vagabundus and leucostoma. I have 

 observed these prey upon various species of Diptera. 



Crabro Wesmaeli, Panzeri and albilabris. Also prey upon minute Diptera. 



Crabro subpunctatus. Preys upon gnats. 



Crabro brevis. This small black species preys upon Halticae. 



Cemonus unicolor. Burrows in bramble-sticks, and stores up small green Lepi- 

 dopterous larvae. 



Diodontus minutus and tristis. Also burrow in bramble-sticks and putrescent wood, 

 and store up Aphides. 



Mellinus arvensis. This insect preys upon Diptera, and its instinct in capturing 

 its prey is worthy of observation : in the autumn, of course, its prey abounds, and 

 many species frequent the droppings of horses and cows : to these the Mellinus re- 

 pairs, and should she not find any Diptera at the time of her arrival, she waits most 

 patiently until some unlucky fly appears. I have frequently observed six or eight in- 

 dividuals of Mellinus waiting the arrival of prey. 



Cerceris labiata. This species I captured at Weybridge, conveying Colletes suc- 

 cincta. — Frederick Smith; 5, High Street, Newinglon, August, 1849. 



Note on the Habits of Lamia textor, fyc. — In August, 1848, I captured and put into 

 a box six specimens of Aromia moschata (five females and one male), and two speci- 

 mens of Lamia textor (male and female), to see if any similarity of habit existed in 

 the two species. I kept up a constant supply of fresh young branches of willow, oc- 

 casionally sprinkling the whole with water : the A. moschata did not appear to feed, 

 and all the females died within three weeks ; but the male lived just double that time, 

 contrary to what I had before noticed in both Coleopterous and Lepidopterous insects, 

 for generally the female outlives the male. The Lamia, on the contrary, fed regu- 

 larly as long as I could keep up a supply of young branches, and when that failed me 

 I put in a large piece of the decayed timber : they occasionally bit off small pieces, 

 but did not appear to eat any. One specimen died the end of March, the other the 

 beginning of June, 1 849, having lived eleven months ; and perhaps would have now 

 been alive had I not omitted the water, which they evidently require. Mr. Lean 

 (Zool. 2404) says his experience and that of his friends is exactly the reverse of Mr. 

 F. V. Jacques (Zool. 2374), and consequently of my own (Zool. 2245), as regards the 

 nocturnal habits of Lamia textor. His time of capture does appear to be the reverse, 

 so does the place in which he found them ; but this doubtless helps to confirm the 

 opinion of its being nocturnal ; for he finds them in the hot sunshine, on the osier 

 stools, where they have retreated during the day, — whereas we find them in the 



