THE CERCERIS. 
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carefully studied. These insects are very fond of dry ground 
and sandy soils which are exposed to the noonday sun. They dig 
deep holes, and it is very remarkable that they should provision 
them with beetles of the weevil tribe alone. It does not matter 
what may be the species of the weevil, so that it is one of the 
family ; in fact, ten or twelve species belonging to different genera 
have been found in the nests of a Cerceris , which certainly 
appeared to choose the toughest and strongest-skinned beetle it 
can for the use of its very soft-skinned larvae. But the Hy- 
menoptera has the instinct to select weevils which have been lately 
born, and whose integuments, therefore, are not very firm ; and, 
Females in different attitudes, those shaded darkly being magnified. A male natural 
size and magnified. 
on the other hand, the larvae appear to have no difficulty in 
sucking the juices of their prey between the segments of its body. 
Cerceris quadricincta , which has been studied by M. Fabre, has 
a great fancy for weevils, but it does not choose large ones, and 
selects those of the genus Apion , the smallest of the family, so that 
it has to collect at least thirty individuals to provision one of its 
cells. Another Cerceris even attacks those beautiful beetles called 
Buprestis , many of which glitter like diamonds ; and some kinds 
chase other Hymenoptera , and one beautiful Cerceris seizes honey 
bees, whilst an allied kind selects Ichneumons as its prey. 
The genus Philanthus is well known, in consequence of the 
peculiar habits of one of its species, which is a great bee killer. 
Philanthus apivorus or triangulum has a black head and body 
spotted with yellow, and its abdomen is yellow, but there is a 
triangular black spot on each of its segments, so that it is an insect 
readily distinguished. It digs galleries in paths in sandy soils, 
P 
