_Mellinus arvensis_ is one of our commonest British Fossores, and we are indebted to the late F. Smith for the following account of its habits: "It preys upon flies, and may be commonly observed resorting to the droppings of cows in search of its prey; it is one of the most wary and talented of all its fraternity; were it at once to attempt, by a sudden leap, to dart upon its victim, ten to one it would fail to secure it; no, it does no such thing, it wanders about in a sort of innocent, unconcerned way, amongst {124}the deluded flies, until a safe opportunity presents itself, when its prey is taken without any chance of failure; such is its ordinary mode of proceeding. At Bournemouth the flies are more active, more difficult to capture, or have they unmasked the treacherous _Mellinus?_ and is it found necessary to adopt some fresh contrivance in order to accomplish its ends? if so, it is not deficient in devices. I noticed once or twice, what I took to be a dead specimen of _Mellinus_, lying on patches of cow-dung; but on attempting to pick them up off they flew; I at once suspected the creature, and had not long to wait before my suspicions were confirmed. Another, apparently dead fellow, was observed; and there, neither moving head or foot, the treacherous creature lay, until a fine specimen of a Bluebottle ventured within its grasp, when, active as any puss, the _Mellinus_ started into life, and pounced upon its victim." [Illustration: Fig. 48.—_Mellinus arvensis_ ♀. Britain.] Lucas states that in the north of France _Mellinus sabulosus_ provisions its nest with Diptera, which it searches for on the flowers of Umbelliferae, and then carries to its nest. This is a burrow in the earth, and when it is reached the Hymenopteron deposits its Insect burden for a moment on the ground while it turns round in order to enter the burrow backwards. The same writer states that two varieties of this Insect live together—or rather in the same colonies—and make use of different species of Diptera, even of different genera, as food for their young. These Diptera are stung before being placed in the nest. The stinging does not kill the Insect, however, for Lucas was able to keep one specimen alive for six weeks after it had passed this trying ordeal. SUB-FAM. 8. PHILANTHIDES.—_Labrum small; anterior wings with three complete submarginal cells; hind body constricted at the base but not so as to form a slender pedicel._ This sub-family contains Insects resembling wasps or Crabronides in appearance, and is, as regards the pronotal structure, {125}intermediate between the two great divisions of the Fossores, for the pronotal lobe extends nearly or quite as far back as the tegulae, and in _Philanthus_ the two come into almost actual contiguity.