296 



ME. A. E. WALLACE ON INDIAN ETC. 



Different forms of the Pompiltd^ are everywhere abundant in 

 the eastern tropics. The species of Pompilus, Macromerys, and 

 Mygnirnia were generally taken in the thick forest, often flying 

 along near the ground and among herbage, carrying some cap- 

 tured insect. The Ogenias are often seen dragging along spiders. 

 The Awimophilas frequent weedy herbage in hot sunshine. Pe- 

 lopceus bengalensis and other small species were taken in similar 

 situations. Pelopceus javanus enters houses, where it makes 

 small earthen cells, which it stores with spiders rendered torpid. 

 On opening one of these, a small larva was found, with its food. 

 In another instance a cell in my room, after being stopped up, 

 was completely plastered over with mud in an irregular manner, 

 so as to hide its shape. After a fortnight I opened it and found 

 within it a delicate brown cocoon T 7 ^ inch long, containing a 

 white grub § the length of the cocoon. The clay cell was very 

 hard and solid ; and it seems extraordinary how the insect could 

 have escaped from it. P. intrudens is the species which takes 

 its place in Celebes, where I have observed it to bring both 

 caterpillars and spiders to its cell. Spliex is a very abundant 

 and characteristic genus, abounding in open sandy places, where 

 they fly about in great nnmbers, and with enormous velocity and 

 vigour. 8. argentata and S. gratiosa were common in the sandy 

 street of Dobbo in the Am Islands. S. argentata was found 

 also at flowering shrubs in Celebes ; other species were found 

 in forest-paths, and on the sandy banks of drying-up streams. 



The BembiciDjE were found burrowing in loose sand, Beonbex 

 melancholica being common in such situations all over the archi- 

 pelago. 



The EuMENiDiE are the most abundant, beautiful, and cha- 

 racteristic Hymenoptera of the East. They are found every- 

 where, in gardens, on roadsides, on the margins of streams, and 

 in the forests. They are very difficult to capture safely, having 

 great power of elongating the abdomen, so that they will twist 

 it round and sting in every direction within a sphere of at least 

 two inches diameter round the thorax. E. quadrispinosus and E. 

 blanchardi build pendent cones of soft papery texture on the 

 thatch of houses, as a covering to three or four small, open, - 

 earthy cells, in each of which they deposit an egg. 



Bhynchium and Odynerus are very abundant in species and 

 individuals, and frequent similar situations. 



The Vespid2e are chiefly represented by the genera Icaria and 



