go 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[May 



MELLINID^. 



The commonly distributed M. arvensis preys upon various Dip- 

 terous insects — MiiscidcB, Syrphidce, &c. ; it may often be seen lyin^,^ in 

 wait for these by the side of a patch of cow dung. It burrows in 

 sandy banks, gregariously. 

 Mellinus, Fab. 



arvensis, Linn. — Abundant in our district, B.C., Delamere, 

 E.C.T., Bidston Hill, J.T.G. 



CERCERID^. 



The species comprising this family are chiefly gregarious, forming 

 large colonies of tunnels in the ground, some, as C. arenaria, preferring 

 loose sandy soil, and others, as C. interrupta, choosing hard trodden 

 pathways. The prey varies according to species, Philanthus attacking 

 bees (Andrena, Halictus, and Apis), C. ornata and C. labiata, bees, 

 (HalictusJ, C. arenavia, beetles, (Otiorhynchiis 3.n(l other Cufculionid^e) 

 and C. intermpta, beetles, (ApiomdcsJ. 

 Cerceris, Fab. 



arenaria, Linn. — Formerly common on the Cheshire coast, B.C. 



CRABRONID^. 



This large family contains species with very various places of 

 nidification, and preying upon many different kinds of insect life. 

 Some form burrows |in sandy banks ( C, cribarms, peltarius, vavius, 

 Westmaeli, E. brevis, and Oxyhekis), some in decayed Avood (C. clavipes, 

 deucostoma, chrysostonia, vagus, 4-macidaUis, cepJialotesJ, some in bramble 

 and rose sticks fC. tibialis and clavipesj, and some in the mortar of old 

 brick walls (C. elongatuhis). The food stored up for the future grub is 

 diversified according to the species, including Diptera (Crabro 

 leucostoma, cephalotes, cribaritts, peltarius, vagus, chrysostoiua, 4-maculatus, 

 podagricus, Westmceli, and the Oxybeli), Aphides ( C. elojigatuliis J, and 

 Coleoptera of the genus Haitica (E. brevis). 

 Crabro, Fab. 



clavipes, Linn. — mfiventris, Panz. — Higher Bebington, near Bir- 

 kenhead, J.T.G. ; generally distributed, B-.C. 



leucostoma. Linn. — Manchester and Hazelgrove B.C. ; Rainhill 

 H.H.H. ; and Chester, common on lilac and laurel, E.C.T. 



podagricus, V. d. Lind. — Hazelgrove, B.C. 



palmipes, Linn. — tarsatus, Shuck. — Several taken at burrows in i 

 sandy bank by roadside, Sandiway near Cuddington, R.N. j 



elongatulus, V. d. Lind. — luteipalpis, Slmck. — propiiiquus, vSchuck. 

 — obliquns, Schuck. — hyalimis, Shuck.— Manchester, Hazelgrove 

 Delamere, and Cheshire Coast B.C. 



