INDIGENOUS FOSSORIAL HYMENOPTERA. On the \st of May will he published, vnij'orm u-ith the present Work, THE BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN; Containing the Description and Synonymy of all the Species hitherto dis- covered to be Natives of this Country, as far as the Metropolitan and Pro- vincial Cabinets to which the Author can obtain access, will admit j with remarks on their Habits and Economy. By W. E. S H U C K a R D, M. E. S. LIBRARIAN TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY. + 4t The expenses of publication being very great, and the sale of works of this description limited, the Author will feel obliged by those Entomologists, who may wish to have the above, signifying their intention to him prior to the 15th of March, as the number printed will be influenced by the probability of the extent of the sale. Part I., containing the Andrenid*, will be first published. ESSAY ON THE INDIGENOUS FOSSORIAL HYMENOPTERA; COMPRISING A DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE BRITISH SPECIES OF BURROWING SAND WASPS CONTAINED IN THE METROPOLITAN COLLECTIONS ; THEIR HABITS AS V ML AS THEY HAVE BEEN OBSERVED. By W. E. SHUCKARD, M.E.S. LIBRARIAN TO THE ROYAL SOCIETT. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 31, ROBERT STREET, CHELSEA. SOLD ALSO BY M. BAILLIERE, 219, REGENT STREET. 1837. C'- QL SU7.4 35-7 e. ROWORTH AND SONS, BELL YAUD, FLEET STREET. TO THE REV. FREDERICK WILLIAM HOPE, M.A. PRESIDENT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, F. R. L. Z. G. SS. &c. &.C. &c. A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT FOR THE ZEAL AND LIBERALITY WITH WHICH HE CULTIVATES, AND PROMOTES THE CULTIVATION, OF THE SCIENCE OF ENTOMOLOGY, THIS ESSAY IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOPx. 444633 PREFACE It is with diffidence that I present myself before the En- tomological public; but having paid much attention for some time past to the aculeate Hymenoptera, and having assiduously collected our native species, a collection has grown upon my hands, and observations have accumu- lated upon their habits and distinctions, that I have been induced to yield, perhaps too easily, to the persuasions of friends to present British Entomologists with the fruits of my labour, — truly a labour of love, — with the hope that it may incline them to look about, and give some portion of their zeal to a tribe of insects which merit it certainly as much as many others that have hitherto almost exclusively absorbed their attention. My own success within a limited district justifies the con- clusion that our country is much richer in these insects than has been suspected. I feel convinced that when distant and different localities are well searched many decidedly new species will be discovered, as I have seldom examined VIM PREFACE. a Cabinet, witli any pretension to possess this tribe, without finding something new. This is an additional inducement to collect, for the stimulus to exertion is increased by the prospect of making discoveries, thereby extending our knowledge of Nature and of her productions. Every species is an important link in the great chain, without which its consecution is necessarily broken. The futility of all theories of natural arrangement is therefore self- evident, until we shall possess an absolutely perfect know- ledge of species ; for even the most elaborate, and best conceived, may, by the introduction of a new creature, be totally subverted. Another inducement to attend to these insects may be urged in the exceedingly interesting nature of their economy, and the peculiarities of their structure. Amongst them ex- clusively, at least with but one exception, we find social tribes governed by a peculiar polity, and they appear gene- rally gifted with an instinct very superior to that of the adjacent groups : and with respect to their structure, as in the works of the Omniscient Artist, the means are always fitted to the end, it consequently follows, that where we find a complexity and peculiarity of habits and economy, we invariably discover the organs adapted. This work, however, embraces only a portion of the tribe. I originally intended it to comprise solely the fossorial Aculeates of Latreille, but possessing all but one of the yet discovered indigenous species of the family Mutillidcc of the Heterogyna, I have been induced to add their description ; consequently, to complete the first half of the aculeate Hymenoptera, the FormicidcB and the VespidcB, — the first and the last families, — are alone wanting. These I how- ever purpose publishing, accompanied by an English de- scription of the Bees of Great Britain, containing all the discoveries made since the Rev. Mr. Kirby published his admirable ' Monographia Apum Angliae,' in 1804. This I hope to accomplish in the course of the spring, and which, in conjunction with the present work, will place in the hands of British Collectors a description of all the aculeate Hymenoptera yet discovered in these islands. The present work, as the title indicates, contains a full description of all the species of the Mutillidcs, and of the fossorial Hymenoptera, known to be inhabitants of Britain, at least as far as they are contained in the Metropolitan Cabinets to which I could have access. To avoid the possibility of mistake, I have given very detailed descrip- tions, and I trust that I shall render some service to the science by having fully determined several pi-eviously very doubtful species. In the generic descriptions, I have omitted the cibarial organs, with the exception of the man- dibles, and sometimes of the labrum, — other parts, but the wings chiefly, furnishing, for the fossorial tribe at least, cliaracters much less difficult to examine, and also less liable to vary specifically. The correctness of this mode of distribution is proved by the correspondence of their general habit and of their economy. To make the book as complete as possible, for I con- sider every book should be as complete as is possible in itself, I have VN^orked out the synonymy as fully as the materials in my possession would admit : in doing this, I have had occasion frequently to correct the inaccuracies and oversights of my predecessors ; but I wish it to be fully understood, that this has been done solely for the sake of the science, and that it was never prompted by illiberal captiousness. My views of synonymy may pos- sibly differ from that of the majority ; for I cannot con- sider a mere citation as a synonym, having frequently detected, when a description was given, that the insect of the author referred to differed from that of the author writing. How is it therefore possible to ascertain the correctness of a reference, when nothing but the latter is given ? I have, however, sometimes diverged from the strictness of this rule, when I had no doubt, arising from the collateral evidence of the invariable correctness of the author. The specific character I have moulded to my own occasions, it being necessarily variable according to the views pursued, and the specific descriptioyis have always been made from an autoptical examination of native spe- PREFACE. XI cimens; but sometimes, when no British specimen of one sex was known, I have inserted the best foreign descrip- tion in inverted commas, that it may be recognised when found. I have only further to remark, that as a portion of this book, viz. as far as sheet h inchisive, to page 112, was printed as long back as August, 1835, and the six fol- lowing pages were then in type, to which no alteration was made upon resuming the work within these two months, all subsequent discoveries, and remarks, upon the insects previously described, are, unavoidably, thrown into an appendix at the end. In the use of terms, I have almost exclusively restricted myself to those employed by Messrs. Kirby and Spence, unless obliged by paramount considerations to deviate from them ; and it is necessary to observe, that all the insects were examined under a lens of a moderately high power, which, as sculpture very generally constitutes the specific distinction, will be found essential to the removal of all doubt as to their identity and determination. In the drawings of the wings I have endeavoured to give the relative proportions as accurately as possible; but should I have failed therein it is not of much moment, as the course of all the nervures is correctly indicated, and thus a com- paiison of the entire system of the neuration facilitated, which will be found sometimes necessary to detect their differences when resembling. The generic descriptions will, however, at once correct any inadvertent error that may be made, by displaying the combination of characters which corroborate the differences traced in those organs, and which I have selected by preference as their most simple expression. To add to the convenience of Entomologists, I have given, at the end, two copies of the nomenclature of the genera and species, printed upon hard paper ; the one for the purpose of labelling their collections, and the other as an index to their possessions : and I hope I have added to its utility by introducing the sexual signs, for no species can be considered complete with but one sex only. In conclusion I beg to return my sincere thanks to my numerous Entomological friends, for it is impossible to enumerate them here, both for the facilities they have afforded me in describing the rarities of their respective Collections, and the liberality with which they have con- tributed to my own ; and to my friend Mr. Frederick Smith I am indebted for engraving my plates. 31, RoiiEHT StIIKET, ClIIiLSliA, December, 1836. CONSPECTUS or THE GENEIlvV . , , confluent mill the 2d iliscoidal. One submarginal J cell 'not confluent marginal cell slightly appcndiculalcd acuminate and joining the costal ncrvure at its extremity . . 19. OxvEELt-S. .21. Chabro. .20. Trypoxylox. one recurrent nervure . 'wo sobmar«inal cells ' two recurrent neriures . S anastomosing with the first transvcrso-culiital 23. i joining the cubital about the middle of the 1st subraarginal cell 22. 1st submargiual receiving boili recurrent nervurcs 27. . marginal ceil largely appendiculated 16. / second snbmarginal cell petiolated IS. ) ( apex of the marginal cell parallel with that of 2d submarginal.. 4. 1 apex of the marginal cell 1st and 2d submarginal ( cells receiving each a ' recurient nervuie ) marginal cell not .^ ».,„„.• of ih ^ appendiculated J 2d submarginal not 7 •^ .. V petiolated ■) '■"lending -.,■■ — .j ^^ transverse . (oS ....'".'.' i a truncated triangle - 2d submargiual receiving both recurrent nervures - 1 11 f '^^ submarginal quadrate , " , ^ > transverse Celta. Sticmds. CCMONUS. DrNETUS. MiSCOPHfS, TiPHIA. PEMPriREDON XvLacus. DlODONTUS. /the lit and 2d, ; each a recurrent ncrvure I the 2d receiving both I recurrent nervurcs S the second petiolated 29. \ . . . . not petiolated, and the 3d apical 3. 'and petiolated 18. Tbree submarginal cells ' - not petiolated /■ marginal cell S '^'^ submarginal of the usual form 17, Astata. \ annpnfliciilntml i -» i i ■ ii i^ k mctathorax lonffcr than the dofsolum 13. Larra. « appenaiLumiea (3,] submaremal lunu ate ! * 1 .1 ^ 1 i V ' " J =* I .. .. not so long as tbedorsolum 14. Taciiytes. i ^3d submarginal petiolated 10. Miscus. f marginal cell not ? o 1 k ■ 1 » C smaller than the second 9. Ammophila. V I- I . 1 ^ 3d submarginal not ) r.u ■ r.u 01 01 4 "'^"'^-^* ^ appendiculated / .• 1 » 1 i . ' of the size of the 2d 31. Ahpactus. ^^ <- petiolated, but larger than the 2d 33. M,.„es... e 2d submarginal petiolated 34. Cerceris. the 2d and 3d receiving | , marginal cell almost S 3d submarginal having a short pseudo-nervure from the middle of its terminal transverse one . . 1. AIutilla. each a recurrent nervurej 2d submarginal not J semicircular ( either triangular or subquadrate and without the pseudo-nervure 6. Pompilus. V petiolated \ marginal cell forming an elongate triangle 32. Psen. \ obtuse at its extremity 11. Sp t the Island 3il, receiving each a lecurrenl nervure 28. Mel Four submarginal * the 2d receiving both recurrent nervu celU i the 2d and 3d 'ing \ " pseudo-nervure originating from the centre of the 1st transverso-cubital and returning backwards. 30. GORYTES. 12. DoLlCHURl each a recuirent nervure ( „„ pseudo-nervure ^ the second subraarginal triangular 2. J , , t nearly square 5. ( tjuadiangular J . . ^ ' Mv J oblong 7. CEnoraLES. One submarginal cgll I not confluent confluent with the 2d discoidal. Two submargin cells . . A one recurrent nervure two recurrent nervures 1st submarginal n 1st and 2d subm cells receiving < recurrent nervure 2d submarginal n 19. OXYBELUS. ■21. CuABno. 20. Trypoxylon. 23. Celia. 22. Stigmus. 27. C'emonus. 16. DrNETus. 15. Miscopnus. 4. TipiiiA. 26. Pemphredon. 25. Xyi.cecus. 24. DiODONTUS. 8. Aporus. 'the 1st and 2d, receiving each a recurrent m • and petiolated the 2d receiving recurrent nervures Three submarginal cells both) not petiolated the 2d and 3d receiving) each a recurrent nervure^ 2d submarginal C petiolated . . . . , 29. Alvson. 3. Metiioca. 18. Nysson. Ll7. ASTATA. Ll3. Laura. Ll4. Taciiytes. 1. 10. Miscus. . 9. Ammopiiila. .31. Arpactus. j.33. MiMESA. .34. Cerceris. 2d submarginal ^. 1. Mutilla. 6. Po.MPILUS. 32. PSEN. 35. PniLANTHUS. , 11. Sphex. the 1st and 3d, receiving each a recurrent n Four su ( the isi ana isa, receiving eacu a. icv-unci bmarginal ) the 2d receiving both recurrent nervures i the 2d and 3d receiving S ^ pseudo-ner v each a recurrent nervure (. no pseudo-nervu .28. Mellinus. .30. Gorytes. . 12. DoLICHURUS. . 2. Myrmosa. . 5. Sapyca. . 7. Ceropales. INTRODUCTION. § 1- A LIST of the most useful books upon this tribe, or to which any reference is made in the following pages ; a few words upon the history of these insects since the period at which Mr. Kirby published his " Monographia Apum Angliae ;" an account of their external structure ; and a few observations of a more general nature, will not perhaps be thought superfluous here. § 2. Ca. Lin'N/eus. — Fauna Suecica. Edit, altera. Stockholmiae. 1761. 8vo. Systema Naturae. Edit. 12a. Holmiae. 1766—1768. Tom. 3. Bvo. Caroli de Villers. — Caroli Linnaei Entomologia, fauna suecicae descriptioni- bus aucta, &c. Lugduni. 1789. 4 Tom. 8vo. Ch. de Geer. — Memoires pour servir a rHistoire des Insectes. 7 Vols. 4to. Stockholm. 1752—1778. A. J. Retzius. — Car. de Geer Genera et Species Insectorum, extraxit digessit, &c. Lipsiae. 1783. 8vo, J. C. Fabricius. — Systema Entomologiae. Flensburgi et Lipsiee. 1775. 8vo. Species Insectorum. Hamburgiet Kilonii. 1781. Tom. 2. 8vo. Mantissa Insectorum, &c. Hafniae. 1787. Tom. 2. 8vo. ■ Entomologia Systematica emendata et aucta. Hafniae. 1792—1794. 4 Tom. 8vo. Et Supplementum. 1798. 8vo. Systema Piezatorum. Brunsvigae. 1804. 8vo. P. Rossii.— Mantissa Insectorum. Tom. 2. 4to. Pisis. 1792 — 1794. Fr. Klug. — Monographia Siricum Germaniae atque generum illis adnumera- torum. Berolini. 1803. 4to. Cum lab. color. B ( 2 ) C. Illiger. — Petri Rossii Fauna Etrusca, iterum edita et annotationibus per- petuis aucta. Tom. secundus. Ilelrastadii. 1807. 8vo. J. L. Christ. — Naturgeschichte, Klassification, &c. der Bienen, Wespen und Ameisengeschlecht. Francfurt am Maia. 1791. 4to. W. KiRiiY. — Monographia Apum Angliaj. (Vol. 1. Introductory Remarks.) Ipswich. 2 Vols. Bvo. 1802. ■ Transactions of the Linnean Society. Vol. 4. London. 1798. (Ammophila, a new genus of insects.) L. JuRiNE. — Nouvelle Methode de Classer les Hymenopteres. Tom. 1 . Geneve. 1807. 4to. P. A. Latheille. — Histoire Naturelle des Crustaces et des Insectes. Tom. 13. 1805. 8vo. Genera Crustaceorum et Insectorum. Tom. 4. 8vo. Parisiis et Argentorati. 1809. Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle. 2d Edit. 36 Tom. 8vo. Paris. 1816—1819. Max. Spinola. — Insectorum Ligurise species novae aut rariores, &c. Tom. 2. 4to. Genua;. 1806—1808. Olivier. — Latreille et Lepelletier de St. Fargeau. — Encyclopedie Me- thodique, partie de I'Histoire Naturelle; Entomologie. Tom. 4— 10. 1789—1825. 4to. J. C. D. Schreber. — Der Naturforscher. St. xx. 8vo. G. W. F. Panzer. — Faunae Insectorum Germania; initia. Nurnberg. Fascicul. 110. 1795—1805. 12o. Kritische Revision der Inseliten-faune Deutschlands. 2e band. Nurnberg. 1806. Franc, de P. Schrank. — Fauna Boica. Tom. 3. 8vo. 1798—1803. Nurnberg, Ingolstadt, Landshut. C. A. Walckenaer. — Memoires pour servir a I'Histoire Naturelle des Abeilles Solitaires qui composentle genre Halicte. 1 Tom. 8vo. Fig. Paris. 1817. P. L. Vander Linden. — Observations sur les Hym6nopteres d'Europe de la Famille des Fouisseurs. 4to. Bruexelles. 1829. J. Curtis, — British Entomology, or Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects found in Great Britain, with figures from nature of the most rare and beautiful species. 11 Vols. 8vo. London. 1824—1835. Le Pelletier de St. Fargeau. — Aunales de la Societe Entomologique de France. Tom. 1. Prem. Trim, sur le genre Goryte, et Tom. 3. 4 Trim. Monographie du genre Crabro. 1834. Nees AB. EsENBECK. — Hymenoptcroium Ichneuraonibus affinium Monographiae. Volumen Secundum. Stuttgart et Tubing. 1834. ( 3 ) § 3. For the determination of genera, J urine's work will be found the most useful of all the preceding books, that is to say, as far as it refers to the Fossorial Aculeates. He merits great praise for the application of a system — the utility of which had not been fully recognised by its dis- coverer either Harris or Frisch — to a tribe of insects which still remained, notwithstanding the labours of Fabricius, Latreille and Oliver, in detail a confused mass very difficult to ascertain with perfect accuracy or satisfaction. The characters derived from the organs of the mouth, made use of by the former writer, are, perhaps, as good and as per- fectly distinct as any that could be adopted, were they not in the majority of cases too recondite for easy investiga- tion, exclusive of the excessive labour of inspecting them fully. But we shall even then find the number of their parts frequently the same, differing only in form, and that so slightly that recourse must still be had to external characters to substantiate and confirm them. But when characters are pointed out to us in a group of insects already combined by one still more important, which are so simple, that the first glimpse will inform us, even when we have not the clue of habit* to guide us, whether an insect be of the same or of a different genus with those with which it is compared, should we not be grateful to the individual who discovered or applied it ; and this is due to Jurine. He saw in the neuration of the superior wings of the majority of the Hymenoptera differences, which he found would separate them generically from the circumstance of its assembling together such which perfectly agreed in all • This word, in the singular, I always apply to the general appearance, the fades of the insect. b2 ( 4 ) otlier respects. He limited his use of the nervures to those placed beyond the stigma, (pi. 1, fig. 1, s.) and which are dotted in the second figure of the first plate and the spaces or cells formed by them, marked 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, in the first figure of the same plate.* The names which he applied to the genera thus distinguished have not been allowed always to stand, owing to the too rigid application of the law of priority, which retained the names of Fabricius and Latreille, &c. to the conglomerate genera they had formed, when their types were subsequently discovered to be iden- tical with any of the insects contained in the genera con- structed by him. But this he can well afford, for his fame is permanent. No subsequent discovery has as yet invali- dated his system when rigidly applied, although sometimes in exotic genera it derives perspicuity from other external characters, viz. from general habit, the form of the eyes, &c. &c. Latreille's merits have been considerably obscured by the publication of the preceding work, which lent its lustre to all his subsequent performances. St. Fargeau's generic descriptions in the work above mentioned merit great praise, and the introductory remarks of Mr. Kirby will be found exceedingly instructive. For the description of species we must cite Vander Linden. He first has drawn the attention of Entomologists to the value of sculpture as a specific distinction in this tribe, and by means of which the confusion that has hitherto prevailed as to the specific identity or differences of these creatures promises to be re- moved. Colour has hitherto been resorted to as the best specific character, but it is of so variable a nature in the majority, that I have not found it safe to depend upon : I * See below for the detailed nomenclature of the nerves and cells of the wing, which I have extracted from my paper to be published in a forthcoming number of the Entomological Transactions. ( 5 ) have extended Vander Linden's application of sculpture to all the species, and I find it the safest guide to their true determination. The custom has been hitherto to describe the varieties of colour as alphabetical varieties of the species — this plan is extensively adopted by St. Fargeau — but I find it produce less confusion, when very variable, to indi- cate its latitude in a parenthesis than particularly to describe every distinction, for in those species liable to vary we shall seldom find two that perfectly agree, it consequently tends to engender doubt in the minds of those who have not seen multitudes of individuals as to their specific identity. This plan I have adopted throughout the following work, unless the variations were very marked and very constant, and consequently probably the effect of locality or other influ- ences. After the above named writers, we may instance Christ, Spinola, Rossi and Illiger, as perhaps the most satisfactory describers of species. None could surpass Linne and Fabricius, were they not so brief, which, although sufficing for the paucity of their materials, makes the majority of their species doubtful now that collections have so much accumulated. Olivier is also admirable in detect- ing the errors of his predecessors, and his laborious works must ever remain monuments to his memory, perseverance, and assiduity. All the authors named above will be found more or less useful ; it would be as idle to repeat the list as it would be invidious to give further preference. It would not be in place, nor can I be expected to enter into an elaborate history of this tribe in a book devoted merely to the description of British genera and species. Without an extensive reference to foreign forms, it would be absurd to attempt it, and as the majority of British En- tomologists are barely interested in them, and as it would besides occupy much space, I reserve my notes upon the ( G ) subject, as well as my own particular views, for another op- portunity. A very few words will give a broad outline of the chief improvements that have been made, which is all that can be required here. It is to Latreille that we owe the division of these in- sects into flimilies, which collocate into distinct groups such genera as possess characters in common. It was in his " Precis" that he first sketched this distribution which he has successively remodified in every subsequent work. It is that which he published in his " Families Naturelles du Regne Animal, 1825," that I follow in the following pages, adapting it to the limits of our genera; but although I do so, it is merely temporary, until 1 can complete my re- searches upon the subject, and not because I fully agree in his arrangement. I have adopted the names applied by Dr. Leach to those families, on account of the uniformity of their termination. The comparision of the works of Latreille consequently will show his progression to the pre- sent comparatively natural arrangement of them : beyond which he has done nothing to advance this tribe since his establishment of a few genera in his earlier books. The description of species has begun to receive some attention, and I hope that the solid characters laid down by Jurine for the determination of genera, and by Vander Linden for species, will continue to receive the attention pre-emi- nently due to them. The Comte le Pelletier de St. Far- geau has recently described and subdivided the extensive genus Crabro; but the majority of the genera he has sepa- rated from it are removed upon much too trivial characters, for there is scarcely a genus which would not equally admit of being broken up in the same spirit of super refine- ment, and which would tend to generate as much confu- sion and perplexity as the establishment of genera upon ( 7 ) firm and general principles is intended to remove. I ques- tion therefore whether his generic names can be treated otherwise than as synonymes of the genus he has di- vided. The same observations will also apply to what he has done in the genus Gorytes; but the value of his spe- cific descriptions is not at all affected by it. He is the first who has commenced seriously to monograph the ma- terials before him which have been accumulating since Fa- bricius wrote, since when but little attention has been paid to specific description, unless the insect presented charac- ters which rendered the construction of a new genus impe- rative. But I must be always understood as implying the exception of Vander Linden, and it must be kept in mind that I speak only of the aculeate Hymenoptera. I could dilate much upon this subject, but as it would lead me wide into the field of exotic Entomology, for the reasons named above, I will here terminate my remarks. I regret that I shall have occasion to differ frequently in opinion from the Comte de St. Fargeau, but when I do so, it is from the strictest conviction of his being in error, and with no other view than to prevent its diffusion ; and I therefore trust it will not be misconstrued into any want of due re- spect for so veteran and able an Entomologist. § 4. The following generalization of the external structure of these insects I have inserted for the purpose of enabling me to make such remarks as have occured to me in their investigation, which could not have been well introduced elsewhere, and which I hope will not be entirely without their use. The HEAD is generally transverse, sometimes wider than ( 8 ) the thorax (Ammophila, Cerceris), occasionally subglobose, {Methoca, Tiphid), or large and subquadrate {Crabro, Pem- phredon, Sec), rarely triangular (Crabro vexillatus, male), and as rarely armed with a spine beneath the cheek ( Cra- bro subjmnctatus, (fee), or with an acute one in the middle of the face between the base of the antennae {Xyloecus cor- niculus) ; sometimes a longitudinal (Cerceris) or triedral {Psen atratus) carina in the same situation ; or a tubercle to which the antennae are laterally attached {Dolichurus). The eyes are generally oval, sometimes subglobose, frequently pro- minent, very rarely contiguous {Astata, male), the canthus occasionally entering deeply, giving them a kidney shape {Sapyga, Trypoxylon). The stemmata are placed upon the vertex generally in a triangle, which is sometimes very open, forming only a slight curve;* the posterior pair are nearly confluent or obsolete in Zarra and Tachytes, and they are deficient in the female Mutilla. The antenna inva- riably consist of thirteen joints in the male, and twelve in the female. f The bulbus or radicle has been, by mistake. * This is one of those anomalies of stmcluie for which, unless it be to con- stitute a specific distinction, to which it admirably subserves, I cannot ac- count; it is most remarkable in the black species of the genus Crabro. t St. Fargeau, at p. 693 of the Third Volume of the Annales de la Society Entomologique de France, doubts this as being general in the aculeate Hyme- noptera, and instances Ceramius (which I suppose he intends for Celunites) and Masaris, as having fewer, but all the three genera have decidedly those numbers, which I know positively from ocular demonstration. Mr. Hope's rich cabinet possesses a specimen of the rare genus Masaris, which I have had the oppor- tunity of inspecting, and in my own collection I possess the others. I should not here have made this reference to foreign insects, had not St. Fargeau cited them to support his opinion that some male Crabros have but twelve, which I can assure him, if he will use a lens of a high power, he will find to be a mis- take. I was in doubt myself, until I inspected them in a flexible state, or in recent insects, the two first joints of the clavolet being very closely connected ( 9 ) occasionally counted as one, but as it forms a component part of the scape, and does not articulate with it, it must be necessarily included with it as one. They vai'y in length in the sexes ; they are generally filiform and slightly curved, sometimes much so {Mutilla, female, Tiphia, female, some of the Pompili, females, and Arpactus), rarely porrect (^5- tata, male), and as rarely capitate {Sapyga prisma, male), often subclavate {Sapyga, Nysson, Mimesa, Try- poxylon clavicerum, Cerceris, Philanthus), distinctly geni- culated in Mutilla, Crahro, Pemphredon, &c. ; the joints vary in shape, generally cylindrical, sometimes subarcuate {Methoca, male), in the males of some species of Nysson the apical joint, and in some Crabros the basal joints of the clavolet are emarginate, in some males of the latter also the entire clavolet is occasionally fringed with curled hairs, sometimes merely at its base, and in the latter case it is generally compressed (C. crihrarius, patellatus). They are usually inserted in the middle of the face, frequently very near the clypeus, sometimes upon a slight protuberance, often approximate but occasionally distant. Their uses have been so often sought, and so vainly hypothesis* has been heaped upon hypothesis, that my own conjectures it is fruitless to state. They have been considered as organs together. Some further observations of mine upon this subject will be found below, in the descriptions of those male Crabros which have tlie basal joints of the clavolet emarginate. • Mr. Newman's ingenious hypothesis of their fuller development at the ex- pense of the eyes in insects that fly by night, and the great development of the eyes and decrease of the antennae in those which fly in a bright light, is hap- pily conceived and illustrated in the instance of the Melolonthidce, Sijrphus and Libellula, but it is not supported by our insects, which are invariably lovers of the brightest sunshine, so much so, that if but a transitory cloud flit before the sun, they as suddenly disappear; but still, except in one insect, the male of As- tatn, they do not entirely contradict his theory, from the position of their eyes being lateral. ( 10 ) of smell, touch and hearing. It is evident they play a most important part in the intercourse of the sexes, for we inva- riably find them most strongly developed in the male. Observation teaches us that among the ants they commu- nicate intelUyence ; — experiments confirm their service as organs of touch and hearing : — what a complex sense this combination produces! — but I fear their true function will be for ever concealed from us, for it is doubtlessly one to which it is proved by the organ that we do not possess any analogue. Their importance in the economy, particularly of the Hymenoptera, is distinctly proved by the complex apparatus provided for keeping them clean, and placed in the anterior leg, of which I shall speak in detail below. The FACE is generally flat, sometimes slightly convex (the MutiUidcB, Sajjyga), or sulcated (Crabro). The clypeus, although never articulated, is sometimes distinctly separated by suture, but very generally by a mere impression, which also is frequently obsolete. It undergoes a great variety of form, but is most generally transverse; frequently emar- ginate in front, the apices of which are sometimes pro- duced into tubercles {Ox ybelus, Diodontus, some Cerceris,) in the latter it is laterally lobate, and has very frequently a longitudinal carina in the centre, which in Oxyhelus is pro- duced in an aquiline form. In the majority of males, and in the female Crahros, it, as well as the face, is covered with a dense silvery or golden pubescence. I have now arrived at the true oral organs, the investigation whereof Fabricius considered as essentially necessary to the determination of genera, in which he has been much too servilely followed by several eminent men. In the Fossorial group of the aculeate Hymenoptera, experience and J urine have proved that their examination is of minor importance. I have consequently made no constant use of them in my ( 11 ) generic descriptions, wherein I have only noticed the labrum and mandibles, which sometimes yield a subsidiary character, as in Diodontus, Tachytes, See ; but even these might be dispensed with, for the alary system strictly applied will be found to bring together insects of the same habit and economy, or when there is a discrepancy of habit it may be sometimes useful to make it subgeneric. The advantages derivable from the use of external characters are too appa- rent to require further justification, and the investigation of the cibarial apparatus is of consequence only to the com- parative anatomist, to display the gradual divarication of form from an original type ; but they will still doubtlessly be deemed of importance to all who wish to make diflScult and obscure what nature has rendered so simple and clear. It is very evident that generic subdivisions are extremely artificial, for the leaps nature is thereby caused to make, and the great difference in the value of genera, prove what extensive discoveries we have yet before us, and which, I conceive, when made, and all the created species fully ascer- tained, that the true system will be found to be neither circular, square, nor oval, neither dichotomous, quinary, nor septenary, but a uniform meshwork of organisation, spread like a net over the universe. But what gaps remain to be filled ! We are truly as yet scarcely upon the threshold of the great temple and consequently still remote from the adytum where the veiled statue reposes. We have not yet learnt our alphabet, for species are the letters whereby the book of nature is to be read. But to prove that I have not neglected what has been unduly considered of so much importance I will insert a few generalities upon the oral organs. They consist of the labrum, mandibles, maxillae and its palpi, the tongue, and the labium with its appendages. The labrum is always ( 12 ) present, although in a state of repose frequently concealed beneath the clypeus ; it is very various in form, in Oxyhelus it is lunulate; in Pompilus transverse, rounded in front and slightly eraarginate ; in Ceropales triangular ; in Phi- lanthus it is laterally reflexed, sinuate anteriorly, witii a lobate appendage beneath ; in Cerceris and Diodontus distinctly emarginate ; in Mellinus transversely quadrate ; and in Pemphredon lugubris bilobate. In the majority it is ante- riorly fringed with long hair, and the general rule is, that when concealed beneath the clypeus it is membranaceous, and only when fully exposed is it horny. The structure of the mandibles will frequently determine their use, as in Sapyga, Pemphredon, &c. where they are very broad, and armed with several teeth. We thus see their adaptation to the specific purpose of forming their cylindrical cells in wood. Their analogous conformation in the wood-boring bees {Megachile, Saropoda, &c.) corroborates this conclu- sion; but still this is not uniformly the case, for in several of the CrabronidcB, which are distinctly wood burrowers, the mandibles are merely bi dentate at their apex. May not this disparity arise from the different nature of the wood they are instinctively led to form their nests in? for I have always found that the insects with this shaped mandible make their cells in sub-putrescent and soft woods, chiefly decaying willows ; but the object of nature in giving to some of the true Fossores such immense arcuate mandibles as we perceive in Ammophila, Sphex, &c. is less obvious. The only apparent use to which I have observed them applied, is, in the female, to assist her in conveying her prey, and in the male, to seize the female. I have never observed any of the tribe feed with them ; in fact their only sustenance, and that taken but rarely, appears to consist of the nectar of flowers. In the instance of Mutilla there is a great sexual ( 13 ) disparity in the form of the mandibles, for in the male they are particularly strong, and approach much to those of the genus Pemphredon ; in the genus Diodontus also there is a sexual difference. The processes or teeth are generally apical, yet we sometimes observe them basal internally, as in some Crahros and in Tachytes ; and in the latter genus and Larra, 8ic. there is an external process towards the base. The form which most generally obtains is bidentate, with the exterior tooth the longest; but in some, as in the Crahros, it is the shortest ; in some however it is unidentate and acuminate at its apex. When closed they are fre- quently forcipate ; they then pass over the labrum, and thus inclose the whole internal cibarial apparatus. The interior PALPI are always four jointed and the exterior six, they vary much in their form both in the genera and species. The TONGUE, which I consider to be that portion of the cibarial apparatus, which is thrust forward to lap the nectar of flowers, or as it is more apparent in the bees, the hairy tube through which they suck it, is in this tribe very variously formed — sometimes indeed it is so short as to be scarcely evident ; in Tiphia, it is very short and rounded, it is very generally bifid or emarginate with the lateral edges reflect- ed; in Ammophila, it is elongate, still bifid, and in closing reflected backwards, which induced Mr. Kirby to consider that this genus ought to come near the bees. This circum- stance strongly exhibits a prominent defect of the cibarial system, as it would bring together insects of so great a dis- parity of habit and economy. In Crabro, it is truncated anteriorly and laterally produced, and to this form Oxyhelus closely approaches. In Pompilus, it is trilobate, the lateral lobes having each, near their base, a pilose spot. In Phi- lanthus, it is deeply emarginate, and the sides are produced into pilose angles. ( 14- ) The VALVULE are variously shaped, generally coriaceous; they form a sheath, or case for the tongue in repose, and it is to them that the exterior palpi are attached, the interior being affixed to the apex of the tube of the tongue (mentum, M'Leay). The comparative investigation of the structure of the THORAX throughout the order of the Hymenoptera, is a subject that well merits strict attention, and which, in its connection with their organs of locomotion, would be rich in its results towards advancing a philosophical knowledge of the order, and more fully determining their natural arrangement.* Much doubt and confusion still exists upon the subject although we possess two or three essays, which, as far as they go, are admirable in execution. This work being restricted to a small tribe only of the order, it would not be in place, nor is it my intention, to enter into it here : I shall satisfy myself, and I hope my readers, with a few generalities, going only into those parts which are at all dwelt upon in the following pages. I shall consider the organs of locomotion after the general view of the thorax, which, although not the most correct mode of proceeding, is the most convenient to my purpose. The thorax is generally ovate, seldom cylindrical {Sapyga), * It is a subject that would require the accompaniment of a series of plates, Mr. Newman will doubtlessly enter into it, but as his treatise is general I fear he will not be able to give it all the space it requires, for the admirers of the other orders have equal claims upon him. Its progressive development should be faithfully recorded, unbiassed by any theory, and nothing should be seen but what absolutely exists. In reference to it the following works will be found useful : — Burmeister's Manual of Entomology — (a tabular view of the terms used by the several writers at p. 90,) — and the writers to whom he refers. Jurine, L., Observations sur les Ailes des Hymenopteres. Transactions of the Academy of Turin. Vol. 24. 4to. 1820. ( 15 ) rarely longer than the abdomen (male Astata). The collar* in the first families, is laterally prolonged as far as the origin of the wings, embracing the mesothorax in a semi- circle, it is rarely truncated anteriorly {Mutilla, Sapyga), and occasionally prolonged into a kind of neck {Ammophila, Miscus). In the last families it is very narrow and trans- verse. The clavicula of M'Leay and Chabrier appears to me to be distinct from the tubercle of Kirby. In the thorax of the two insects, which the former author has figured to elucidate his and Audouin's theory, the tubercle is almost obsolete, as is the case in the Vespadce generally, and in all which have the collar extending laterally to the origin of the wings. Its situation also varies with the form of the collar, it is most remote from the wings and most developed in such as have the collar narrow and transverse, and its colour sometimes affords a subsidiary specific character. I consider that it forms a cover or case for the anterior spiracle, the aperture to which varies in the several genera and is always indicated by the cilia or short stiff hairs with which one of its margins is fringed. It is always smooth and shining, frequently coloured, and is, I think, the coi'ps calleux of St. Fargeau; it is always attached by one side to the sutural separation from the collar, I suspect it has some slight degree of motion and that it articulates with it. The tegul^e also afford frequently a subsidiary specific character, but their colour, as well as that of the tubercles, is not constant ; they are very large in the male of Mutilla, moderately so in Tiphia, and very small in Pompilus. But the metathorax will be found a more im- portant portion of this division of the body in this tribe, * I always use this term with Mr. Kirby, it is synonymous with Burmeister's pronotuin and well explains the part in this order, the terms of other writers are too circumlocutory. ( 16 ) from its frequently furnishing in its sculpture undeviating specific characters in several genera, wherein colour either affords none or very unsatisfactory ones. I understand it similar to Kirby and Spence, to comprise the w^hole of the thorax beyond the post dorsolum. It is frequently sepa- rated into two divisions, the anterior portion forming a semicircular, triangular or subcordate plate with an elevated margin. It is generally obtuse at its extremity, but occa- sionally truncated, and then sometimes armed on each side with a spine {Nysson, Alyson). In Oxyhelus it has a central curved mucro in its centre at its origin, with a lanceolate process on each side, and it is occasionally pubescent. The MESOSTERNUM has in some species a spine on each side posteriorly, and this not sexual but common to both ; the uses of these tubercles and spines is exceedingly difficult to imagine, no satisfactory explanation of them has ever suggested itself to me. Of the organs of locomotion the WINGS must decidedly rank foremost in these insects. I have already shown above their importance in the generic division of this tribe, but it is only a portion of them which has hitherto been thus applied, viz. those nervures marked in dots in the second figure of the first plate of this book, which will be found quite suflficient for all the purposes of British Entomology. In a paper of mine recently read at the Entomological Society, I have examined the distribu- tion of the nervures upon the superior wing and the rules which seem to regulate it. In the nomenclature I adhere to that of my predecessors, unless at all at variance with the course nature seems to have pursued in their structure, which I follow as closely as the clue admits. I refer, con- sequently, to that paper for the detail of my investigation, and shall retain here merely the names of the parts, to illus- trate which, I have added a coloured figure, which shows ( n ) the extent and direction of the nervures to which the references are made. The contour of the wing is formed by — a. the costal nervure, which forms the anterior margin; h. the apical margin, which has no nervure accompanying it ; and c. the posterior margin, which also is without a nervure — it is along this margin that the little hooklets are placed which connect the superior and inferior wings together in flight. The nervures found upon the superficies of the wing are the fol- lowing : d. the post costal nervure ; e. the externo-medial nervure; f. the anal nervure; g. the transverso-medial nervure; h. the radial nervure; i. the cubital nervure; k. the discoidal nervure; I. the sub-discoidal nervure; m. the transverso-cuhital nervures — these vary in number in the genera, from one to three being found ; n. the recurrent nervures — these also vary in number, there being either one or two, in all the British genera there is one ; s. the stigma, which appears to be a dilatation of the cubital nervure. The spaces indicated by numbers show the cells or areas found upon the surface of the wing: 1. the costal cell; 2. the externo-medial cell; 3. the interno-medial cell; 4. the anal cell ; 5. the radial or marginal cell — when this is crossed by a nervure there are either two marginal cells, or the one is appendiculated, according to the situation of the nervure dividing it, whether it be placed towards its centre or its apex; 6 — 9. the cubital, or sitb-marginol cells — these vary from one to four according to the number of the transverso-cubital nervures which cross the space enclosed between the radial and cubital nervures : when the latter does not reach the apical margin, the boundary cell is called incomplete ; and if either of the transverso-cubital nervures furcate after quitting the radial, the cell enclosed by the fork is called petiolated, as in Miscophus, Nysson, Cerceris, Alyson, and ( 18 ) the cubital cells are named in the order of their appearance, counting from the stigma; 10. 11. 12. are the discoidal cells ; 13 and 14. the apical cells, which are frequently con- fluent together as well as with the third discoidal. The conspectus at the end of this introduction gives a tabular view of the neuration of the wings ; but I may be allowed to remark here upon the singularity of one genus only {Cemouus*) receiving both the recurrent nervures in the first sub-marginal cell, and that but two insects {Stigmus and Celio) have but one recurrent nervure. Only those just mentioned and those which have but one sub-marginal cell, viz. Oxyhelus, Crabro, and Trypoxylon, receive the recurrent nervure in the first sub-marginal cell. Three sub-marginal cells seem to be the most prevalent number. I am acquainted with but one sexual disparity in the nervures of the wings, which is the open marginal cell in the females of Tiphia, it being closed in the males. The size of the wing is not always in direct connection with the power of flight, but all these insects are rapid fliers, and most active during the greatest heat of the day. In one genus (Pompilus) how- ever the wings do not seem always used for flight, for it • I know only in this instance, in Mellinus and in the exotic genus Lorrheum, Leach (type, Chlorion compressum, Fab.), that where more than one sub-marginal cell is present, the second does not receive a recurrent nervure. In Lorrheum and Mellinus it is the more remarkable, as it neglects the second to be received by the third ; but the former insect is extraordinary in other respects, — it is the only fossorial insect whose tarsi have foot cushions, and the two projecting spines at the apex of its metathorax are singular appendages. The foot cushions would indicate a more fully developed power of walking against gravity, and, conse- quently, refer to some extraordinary peculiarity in its economy. The approximate group, the Vespadae, have it also. Is it like them social in its habits 1 I apply Leach's MS. name to this genus instead of Jurine's Ampulex; for, notwith- standing what the latter says, there is a great difference in the neuration of the wings if his figure and the C. compressum be closely compared together. British Entomologists must pardon me this exotic morsel. ( 19 ) seldom quits tlie ground, rapidly skipping along, which makes it difficult to capture. The inferior wings are ge- nerally narrower than the superior, but in the male Astata hoops they are wider. The flight of this insect also is sin- gular. It rapidly makes a wide gyration in the air, and re- turns to settle upon the same clod it started from, and this it will repeat a dozen times in the course of five minutes. It is rarely that these insects, which are so powerfully armed, and so very bold, simulate death, upon the ap- proach of danger, by closing up their legs and wings and falling down; this is however the case frequently in the genus Nysson. The legs are very variously formed; they are generally of a moderate length, but in some they are very short in proportion to the body, as in Tip hia, Philanthus, Cerceris, Crdbro, and very robust in the latter. In others (the Pompilida: and Sphecidce), they are very long and adapted for running; in Ceropales, in particular, they are disproportionately so. Their tibiae are sometimes armed with spines, and their anterior tarsi with cilia on the exte- rior, and upon this structure, or the absence of it, St. Far- geau proposed a theory for the distribution of these insects into parasites or non-parasites, but which I have shown elsewhere in detail,* that howsoever ingenious it may ap- pear, it is nevertheless not correct. In the paper referred to, I suggested that it might distribute them into those which nidificate in wood or sand, which St. Fargeau seems to have adopted, for in a monograph of the genus Crabro^f he says, " La presence ou V absence de cils aux tarses ante- rieures fee qui indigue que ces insectes travaillent dans la terre ou dans le hois)," and has consequently dropped his • See Entomological Transactions, my paper upon the Aculeate Hymenop- tera, vol. i. pt. 1, p. 52. t Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, torn. iii. p. 692. c2 ( 20 ) original hypothesis ; but neither will his new view bear this general application, as I have indicated in the paper referred to, and which further experience has confirmed. We often detect a sexual difference in the form of the tibiae, or the tarsi, but which is confined chiefly to the anterior pair, and to the genus Crahro. A dilatation in the form of a con- vexo-concave scale of either the anterior tibiae or tarsi is found in several males of that genus, and in others we per- ceive a peculiarity in the structure of the intermediate tibiae and the first joint of their tarsi. The apex of the tibiae is always armed with a pair of moveable spines, called cal- caria, except the anterior pair, which have but one. One is sometimes pectinated, as in Ammophila. Mr. Kirby has supposed them to be for the purpose of assisting the in- sect in burrowing, but I consider them as designed to sup- port the leg, and to prevent its slipping, as they always stand off at an angle with the tibiae, and they are move- able, that they may be adapted to the position of the limb. Those of the anterior pair are singularly formed, having a curved incision fringed with short hair in the interior, which is made to close over a corresponding incision, also fringed, at the base of the first joint of the tarsi, and they thus together form a circular aperture, through which the insect passes its antennae when it wishes to clean them, as it were combing them ; or may not the friction be sub- servient to their receiving atmospheric impressions ? for I have observed them thus occupied when there was not the least appearance of soil upon the antennae, and after long confinement in a box. The ABDOMEN is composed of seven joints in the male, and six in the female :* it is either sessile, subsessile, or • The female of Crahro vexillatus, according to Vander Linden, forms an ex- ception, but I agree with St. Fargeau that Vander Linden has here made a mistake, and considered as the female of that species the male of another. ( 21 ) petiolated, the petiole being an elongation of the first seg- ment, very rarely a distinct articulation (Ammopkila vul- garis and Miscus), frequently apparently distinct, but not so (Psen, Mimesa, Ammopkila, Stigmus, Pemphredon and Cemonus). It is generally longer than the thorax, rarely of the same length (female Methoca, Crabro brevis), and only in the instance of the male As fata boops shorter; it is ge- nerally elongate, ovate, and acuminate, at its apex, but in male insects frequently obtuse or truncated ; it is rarely linear (male, Methoca), or clavate {Ammopkila and Miscus), sometimes ovato-conic {Nysson, Gorytes, Oxybelus), and oc- casionally sub-clavate in Trypoxylon, and in some species of Crabro, in the latter genus frequently subcuneiform, but rarely triangular (Astata). The segments are subcoarctate in Oxybelus and Dolickurus, and fully so in Cerceris. The second ventral segment is produced anteriorly in Nysson, more slightly so in some species of Gorytes; the terminal ventral segments are emarginate in the males of some species of Pompilus, and the hypopygium in the male Metkoca and in Tipkia IS prolonged into a compressed upcurved spine; the last segment is truncated in the males of Nysson, Ta- chytes, and Larra, with two small processes at its lateral extremities, and in Ceropales an ovipositor is exserted. This last is the only instance of an ovipositor being exserted in an aculeate Hymenoptera. §5. My observations here upon the economy and habits of these insects will be very brief, as it would be merely an unnecessary repetition, for under each species will be found all that has as yet been observed ; I may refer to my paper on the subject in the Entomological Transactions* • Vol. i. part 1, p. 52, ( 22 ) for a more extensive generalization. The question of pa- rasites, to which I have referred above in my notice of the legs of these insects, is one deserving attention, and I would therefore suggest to collectors the propriety of re- cording every fact which opportunity may throw in the way of their observation. With respect to the apparent anomaly of parasites being of the same order, or perhaps of the same genus, it may be remarked that these are not internal parasites, and that perhaps a greater resemblance was necessary between the individuals than in the case of internal parasites, which I believe are destroyers of eggs and larvae exclusively, or at least they are deposited within the insect in those stages of its existence, and consequently when in an indefensive state. But here, where the food only, which is stored up as provision for the young, is the object of attack, and the maternal solicitude of the parent insect for the nurture of her offspring is rendered fruitless by the presence of an interpolater secretly deposited, it re- quired all the sagacity of the insect introducing her intru- sive progeny to evade the instinctive apprehension of the laborious mother, and nature has furnished additional means to foil the latter in the parasite's resemblance to her- self. This appears plausible, but it is not yet substan- tiated, nor is it general; for we frequently observe a vast discrepancy between the two, although of the same order, for instance, between Odynerus and its parasite Chrysis, and between Osmia and its supposed parasite Sapyga punc- tata. Several Diptera are also found parasitic upon this tribe. The non-parasites among them provide their young with insects of several orders, and with Arachnides, but it is the Diptera chiefly upon which they prey, and I know but one instance in which a Coleopterous insect is subject to their attack, viz. Cerceris arenaria upon a Stropho- somus. ( 23 ) It is seldom the case that one character, as we find it here, can be so extensively applied, and with so much pre- cision as to determine and separate ail the genera of a de- finite group ; it consequently makes the varying number of species congregated under each the more conspicuous, and we naturally ask, why are there so many of this peculiar structure here, or so few, or only one there ? what object had nature in view? The fertility of some species also is remarkable, as compared with others. These are ques- tions which constantly recur, but when will they be an- swered? The variations of individuals can be more plau- sibly accounted for, but why is it more frequent in some species than in others? But so many questions can be asked in Natural History, and so few as yet satisfactorily answered, that I can only repeat what I have before urged, that, if every special fact be recorded when observed, time will do the rest, for nature is communicative at in- tervals only, and she must consequently be assiduously watched. § 6. I have enlarged above more than was perhaps desirable upon the differences of form in these insects, but some excuse may be found, possibly, in my wish to show that even in this small group there is much dissimilitude affording material for profound speculation and research, and that, consequently, whatever fragment we may pick up of the great book of nature, it becomes in the right minded, when diligently perused, the source and spring-head of a current of new thoughts, which, in their progressive development, deeply imbue us with the conviction that all is good, nothing has been created in vain; and that whatsoever of evil appa- rently exists, is to be found solely in our own moral turpitude ( i^4 ) and the perversion of our faculties, and not in the vast scheme of nature, wlierein, were it not for the imperfection of our powers and the contractedness of our ideas, we should see nothing but what the Greeks so elegantly ex- pressed in the personification of their Graces, the mutual embrace of the Charities — Truth, Beauty, and Goodness — thus symbolising the magnificent harmony of universal nature. In comparison with the feelings thus engendered, and the sublime devotion to which they form the broad and rational basis, how insignificant is the taunt of the worldling, who gibes us with wasting our time in what he calls such frivolous pursuits ! Much still remains " debatable land," but the collision of opinions generally tends to elicit the truth ; yet it should be conducted in an amicable spirit — for should objects which display the immense variety of creation in the diversity of their structure, and its beautiful adaptation to their economy and habits, and which therefore raise us to the admiration of the skill displayed in their formation, and which ought to elevate us to the adoration of the Great Being, who, in the plenitude of His benevolence, has created such myriads of animal forms that the blessing of life may be as infinite as it is varied, be allowed to nurture the malevolent passions of the mind by fanning and adding fuel to their latent flame ? No ! Let us, if we cannot check such feelings, not disturb nature with them, but turn back from her fields into the dust and turmoil of the highways of life, where amidst its turbulence and bustle the love of contest may be indulged with impunity, without frightening the tranquil investigator of the wonders of creation from the objects of his admira- tion, by showing him that his course of study is but the broadway that leads to the arena, the gladiatorial combats of which, he, to his utter disgust, must necessarily witness. ( 25 ) The surest test of a true love of nature is decidedly the superinduction of suavity of manners, benevolence of mind, and amiability of temper, without which we are but the pseudo-priests of its fane and our worship is but lip-worship, an ulterior object being the aim. There are numerous instances upon record of men retiring from the world with embittered feelings and excoriated hearts, loathing its deceit and treachery, and who, like the poor wounded deer, have left the herd and passed into the glade and have there found sanatives in the study of nature which have restored their minds to health and enjoyment ; for the true votary is wholly absorbed by its magnificence, — its order and harmony pass by inculcation into his soul and tranquillize its agitation, giving it a foretaste of its future state, one main occupation whereof, according to the opinion of sound and learned divines, will consist in the contemplation of the works of the Creator. Division II.* HYMENOPTERA ACULEATA. Lat. Antennae with thirteen joints in the males and twelve in the females. Wings always having nervures and presenting the various kinds of ordinary cells. Abdomen always petiolated and consisting of seven segments in the males and six in the females, and containing in the latter a sharp sting concealed within the anus. Their larvae are apodes, and are supplied by their parent with provisions for the time they remain in that state, or are else fed daily by neuters, (females whose ovaries are abortive,) or by the females ; in the two latter cases they are united in societies. Some are parasitic. Tribe I. HETEROGYNA. Lat. These Hymenoptera are generally burrowers or live upon the ground, sometimes assembled in societies, which are temporary in these latitudes. The antennae are geniculated. • The Hymenoptera are separated into two divisions. The first containing the Terebrantia. and the second the Aculeata ; the latter are subdivided into four tribes, viz. 1. the Heterogj'na ; 2. the Fossores; 3. the Diploptera ; and 4. the Mellifeia. It is only of the second family of the first tribe of the Aculeata and the whole second tribe that the following pages treat. 28 MUTILLID.E. The females of those which are solitary, and the neuters of the social ones, are apterous and very frequently without stemmata. Family I. FORMICID^. Leach. Live in societies consisting of three kinds of individuals, the males and females of which have wings, which the latter lose after impregnation.* Family II. MUTILLID^. Leach. Are solitary and each species consists of but two indi- viduals. The females are apterous and generally differ in colour from the w^inged individuals or males. Their antennae are filiform or setaceous. The legs of the females are robust, their tibiae spinose and tarsi ciliated; and the males have generally one or more spines or obtuse teeth at the anus. (a) Thorax of the females continuous or almost cubital. Genus I. Mutilla. Lin. Head suborbiculate in the $, transverse and compressed in the i ; eyes very small and round in the $ , slightly emarginate in the $ , which has the three stemmata placed in a triangle upon the vertex, but wanting in the $ ; the antennce subfiliform, decreasing gradually towards their apex, which is acuminate, inserted in a cavity on each side of the base of the clypeus, which is convex and emarginate in front ; the mandibles arcuate, uni- dentate, and acuminate in the $ , and tridentate in the ^ , being • I have considered this brief definition sufficient, as this family is not treated of here. I. MUTILLA. '29 much dilated at their apex and narrowed at the base. The THORAX longitudinal, nearly cubital in the $ , and truncated at both extremities; — in the $ the collar embraces the dorsolum and extends laterally to the origin of the wings, the tegidce very large, the scutellum semicircular ; in the $ an impression separates the collar from the mesothorax, which it embraces laterally; the superior roiwg-s o/" the $ w'xih a nearly semicircular marginal cell and three siibmarginal cells, subequal, the second and third rcceirnng each in their centre a recurrent nervure, the second being almost obsolete and the third transverso-cubital, having a psetido-nervure springing from its centre extending half nay to the apex of the 7ving j the legs moderately long in the $, somewhat robust and spinose in the $. The abdomen ovate, the first segment subpyriform, the second subcampanu- late, and the apical segments much curved in the S, Type, M. Europaea. f4-t This genus was first established by Liiine; its ety- mology is uncertain, but it is conjectured to be derived from its supposed want of wings. Linne placed the male in the genus y4pis. Sp. 1. EUROP.EA. Lin. nigra, thorace riifo, abdomine fasciis tribus albis posteriors in- terrupfa j . chalybea, thorace rufo, abdomine fasciis tribus albis suhinter- rupta $ . length 5 — 8 lines. Lin. S. N. 2. 966. 4 ; F. Suec. 1727 ; Rossi, 2. No. 939 ; Panz. 76. 20 ; Donov. 6. 77. pi. 212 ; Fab. Entoin. Sys. 2. 368, 9 ; Piez. 430 j Oliv. Ency. Meth. 8. 57. 1-5 ; Latr. Actes de la Societe de I'Hist. Nat. de Paris, p. 8; Hist. 13. 263; Nouv. Diet. 22. 98; Cuv. Regne Animal, 5. 315: Dumeiil, Diet, des Scienees Naturelles, 33. 459. Apis Aptera. UdiJm. Diss. 98. f. 17 ; Harris, Ex. 166. pi. 50. f. 18. simile. Harris, Ex. pi. 50. f. 19. J . Head black, coarsely punctured and pubescent ; the apex of the mandibles rufescent. 30 MUTILLID^. Thorax red, deeply punctured, subpubescent, the whole disk shining ; the legs black, very hirsute and spinose. Abdomen black, very hirsute, somewhat shining, a broad band of griseous depressed hair upon the margin of the first, second, and third segments, in the two latter widely interrupted 5 . The $ differs in having the head chalybeous, the collar and sides of the mesothorax black, as also the sides and truncation of the metathorax ; the dorsolum, scutellum and a transverse lunate spot at the base of the metathorax red ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings deeply fuscous. The abdomen chalybeous, with the white bands on the second and third segments merely subinter- rupted or only slightly interrupted. In most Cabinets. -j--j--j- Abundant in some places ; the male is generally taken settling on flowers ; the female stings very severely : she has been described to me as making a harsh stridulous noise when impaled alive. My friend Mr. Pickering dug a female out of the ground, during the last winter, at Coombe Wood, and mixed in the sand he had removed he found the wings of flies ; it is therefore not improbable that the larva is fed upon Diptera. Sp. 2. CALVA. Vill. nigra, vertice thoraceque rufis, abdominis margine cinereo j . hirta, nigra, abdominis segmentis margine ciliatis $ . length $ 3 lines. Villers, 3. 343. No. 9. Tab. 8. f. 34 ; Fab. Ent. Syst. Suppl. 282 ; Piez. 438 ; Latreille, Actes de la S. Hist. N. de Paris, p. 10. No. 8 ; Hist. 13. 265 ; Oliv. Ency. M6th. 8. 64. 56. $ . $ M. nigrita. Panz. 80. 22 ; Oliv. Ency. M6th. 8. 65. 59. " Head black, pilose, with the vertex and occiput fulvous ; " antennae dark, fulvous ; beneath each there is an elevated line, •' which terminates at the internal angles, near their insertion, " with a pointed tubercle. Mandibles fulvous, their apex black. I, MUTILI.A. 31 "Thorax fulvous, punctured with a few black hairs; legs " blackish, " Abdomen black, the base of the first segment fulvous, and " provided on each side with a fulvous tooth pointed obliquely " downwards, the margins of the remaining segments slightly " ciliated with white hairs ? ." The $ has the head black, deeply punctured, hirsute, man- dibles red in the centre, with their base and apex piceous. Thorax black, punctured, shining, covered with a dense gri- seous pubescence ; the metathorax rugose, with a smooth space at its base of the form of an isosceles triangle, with the sides a little rounded, and inclosed by an elevated ridge ; tegulae piceous, wings fuscous, and their nervures rufo-piceous. Abdomen with scattered punctures, and shining, covered with long griseous hair, having a band on the margins of the second and third segments formed by a short grey pubescence. ^ in the Cab. of Brit, Mus. fit The female was in the cabinet of Mr. Stephens, but by some accident he has exchanged it away. I have given a description of it, which, as it is not made from the insect itself, but compiled from the works of Olivier and Latreille, I have inserted in inverted commas, to indicate that it is not made by myself from a British specimen. It is upon the authority of Latreille that I have placed them to- gether, although the male differs so widely from the female. It is doubtlessly correct, for both are found in great numbers upon the same spots in France, where no other species occur, and, as above shown, both have been found in England. Sp. 3. EPHIPPIUM. F. nigra, antennis, thorace, pedibiisque ntjis, ab.iomine puncto fas- ciisque duabas approjcimatis albis 5 . nigra, thoracis dorso rufo $ . $ length 2— 3| linej. ^ 3i lines. 32 MUTILLID*. $ Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 370. 18 ; Piez. 434 ; Oliv. F.ncy. M^th. 8. 63. 45 ; and $ Curtis, B. Ent. 2. PI. 77. Miit.seUata. Panz. 46. 19. J Mul.rufipes. Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 372. 26 ; Piez. 439; Oliv. Ency. M6th. 8. 66. 68 ; Lat. Hist. 13. 264 ; Nouv. Diet, d' Hist. Nat. 2'2. 98. Head black, coarsely punctured ; antennae red, with their three or four apical joints piceous ; mandibles red, their apex piceous. Thorax hirsute, coarsely punctured, red ; legs red, very hairy. Abdomen black, punctured, hirsute ; a white patch of grey hair on the centre towards the base of the second segment, and a fascia composed of the same pubescence on its margin, and on the third, occupying nearly the whole of the latter, the last segment piceous ; the general pubescence griseous 5 . The $ differs in having the antennae black. The thorax black, with the collar, dorsolum, and scutellum red ; the wings darkly clouded, their margin having a still darker border, ex- tending inwardly as far as the apex of the marginal and sub- marginal cells ; the nervures piceous ; the legs black, hirsute, with the apex of the tarsi piceous. The abdomen with a white band at the base of the third segment, and a transverse line on the sides of the fourth and fifth, all formed of a silvery grey. $ In my own and other Cabinets, $ In those of Mr. Curtis, Rev. G. T. Rudd, Mr. Walker, and my own. ■|-4.t The $ vi^as taken in the year 1822 by Mr. Curtis, at Shooter's Hill, in Kent, and the ? at Black Gang Chine, in the Isle of Wight, where also Mr. Walker has captured it ; and the Rev. G. T. Rudd found it at the same place last year, in June, in some numbers; he took also three males, and it is to his liberality that I am indebted for my specimen. He saw several others, and remarked that to- wards the heat of the day they ascend higher up the cliff, and are consequently accessible only early in the morning. II. MYRMOSA. 33 (b) Thorax of the 5 divided by sutures. Genus II. Myrmosa. Lat. Head subglobose ; stemmata in a triangle on the vertex ; eyes small, round, and lateral ; antennce subfiliform, inserted in the 2 at each side of the base of the clypeus and approximate, in the $ they are wider apart ; the clypeus triangular and longitudinally carinated in the $, in the $ transverse and plane ; mandibles unidentate and acuminate in the $ , large and tridentate in the $ . The thorax longitudinally quadrangular, the angles in front rounded ; the collar subquadrate, and the metathorax truncated $ ; in the $ the thorax ovate ; collar transverse, and curving towards the base of the wings poste- riorly, but not reaching them ; the metathorax descending on an inclined plane, and having on each side two short teeth ; the superior wings with one marginal and four submarginal cells — the second submarginal triangular, receiving the first recurrent nervure near its centre — the third quadrate, receiving the second recurrent nervure at about one-third of its length — the fourth ex- tending to the apex of the wing ; the legs moderately long, and spinose. 5. Abdomen ovato-conic, the first segment some- what narrower than the second ; in the $ abdomen oblong, and the margins of the segments crenate, the last concave above, and tridentate at its apex, which is truncated. Type, M. melanocephala. ■j-f-j- This genus was first established by Latreille, in 1796. It was not adopted by Fabricius, but all subsequent Entomologists have received it. Sp. 1. melanocephala. Fab. rufa, capite abdominisque apice nigris 2 . tota nigra $ . length 5 I5— 3 lines. $ 3| lines. Lat. Hist. 13. 266 ; Gen. PI. 13. f. 6 $ ; Nouv. Diet. H. N. 22. 150. PI. G. 17. 11 ; Guerin, Icon, du Reg. An. Insectes, PI. 69. f, 6. d 34 MUTILLID^. $ Mutilla melanocephala. Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 372. 27 ; Piez. 439 ; Oliv. Ency. M6th. 8. 65. 4b ; Coquebert, 1. p. 26. PI. 6. f. 11. dimidiata. Lat. Actes Soc H. N. Paris, P. 11. No. 11. ^ Myrmosa atra. Panz. 85. 14. ttigra. Lat. Gen. PI. 13. f. 6. Head black, coarsely punctured ; face frequently ferruginous ; the basal half of the antennae red, beyond which they are piceous ; mandibles red, their apex piceous. Thorax entirely ferruginous, deeply punctured, shining ; legs red, spinose, and pubescent. Abdomen black, hirsute, shining ; 'the first segment deeply punctured, the first, and sometimes the second, or its base and the margins of the rest, red ; the second and remainder covered with scattered punctures and a grey pubescence j . The ^ differs in being entirely black, deeply punctured, co- vered with scattered grey hair ; the wings slightly clouded, iri- descent, and their nervures black. In many Cabinets. fit The 5 has been found by myself at Hampstead, Highgate, and at Charlton, near Woolwich ; the S by Mr. Walker in the Isle of Wight, and on lime trees near London, by Mr. Newman at Birchwood, and Mr. West- wood at Coombe, and both sexes at Ripley, in Surrey, by Mr. Stephens. Its habits are not known ; the 5 is found in sandy places, where doubtlessly the $ would occasionally frequent. The S carries off the 5 and copulates while flying in this genus as well as in Methoca. (c) The thorax of the 2 nodose. Genus III, Methoca. Lat. 5 . Head subglobose ; eyes oval and lateral ; stemmata in a triangle high upon tlie vertex ; nntennce filiform, inserted at III. METHOCA. 35 the lateral posterior iTiargins of the clypeus, and of about the length of the head and the first node of the thorax, the scape very thick, the pedicle small, joints of the clavolet subequal and cylindrical, the basal ones with a few rigid hairs at their extremity ; clypeus triangular, convex, its anterior margin rounded ; mandibles arcuate, slender and bidentate at their apex, furnished on the exterior with rigid setse. $. Head transverse, flattened in front, convex behind ; eyes oval, pro- minent and lateral ; stemmata large and in a triangle on the vertex ; antennce filiform, decreasing towards their apex, longer than the thorax,' the scape short and robust, the pedicle very minute, the third joint shorter than the fourth, which is the longest of all, and from which they gradually decrease, and all the joints from the third subarcuate ; the clypeus and mandibles the same as in the female. 5 . Thorax composed of three nodes : the first and second ovate, the latter including a semicircular dorsolum and ovate scutellum ; the third, or metathorax, orbiculate ; legs long and slender ; coxce very robust ; femorce subclavate ; tarsi longer than the tibice. $ . Thorax oblong ; collar broad, and transverse, extending at the sides to the origin of the wings : scutellum triangular ; metatliorax obtuse ; the superior wings with one long narrow pointed marginal cell extending nearly to its apex, and three sub- marginal cells, the first nearly as long as the two following, narrow and receiving at about three-fourths of its length the first recurrent nervure, — the second quadrangular, larger than the third and receiving near its centre the second recurrent nervure, — the third extending to the ap>ex of the wing ; the legs mode- rately long, very slender ; the tarsi the same as in the female. $ . Abdomen ovato-conical, attached by a short petiole to the thorax, the first segment much narrower than the second, the sting long and slender, and when exserted much curved downwards. — $ . Abdomen linear, the segments subcrenate, the hypopygium produced laterally into two vertical plates acute at their extremity, and below into a central long upcurved d2 CO MUTII.LID/E. acute spine, vvhicli does not extend beyond the apex of the plates. Type, M. Ichneumonides. f-j-f This genus was first established by Latreille, in his " Histoire," for the female ; the male which was afterwards sent to him by Monsr. de Sanvitali he formed into a genus by the name of Tengyra, in his Genera, in 1809, and which he placed with Tiphia in the first tribe of his Fossores ; but Monsr. Wesmael, of Liege, was led subsequently to suspect that it might possibly be the male of Methoca, as he always captured them on the same spot ; and this was afterwards confirmed by his repeatedly taking them in copula. The disparity of the sexes is so remarkable, that without this corroboration his supposition could never have been received. This fact Vander Linden communicated in the "Annales des Sciences Naturelles," Jan. 1829, and which he has also published in the preface to the second part of his " Observations sur les Hyraenopteres d'Europe." It is singular that since these observations have been made Nees should place the female in the genus Gonatopus of the family of the Dryini. Sp. 1. ICHNEUMONIDES. Lat. nigra, nit'ida, thorace pedibiisque rvfis 5 . nigra immaculata $ . length $ 2— 3| lines, $ 5i. $ Lat. Hist. 13. 269 ; Nouv. Diet. I. H. N. 20. 488 ; Genera, 4. 118 ; Guerin, Icon, du Reg. An. Insectes, PI. 69. f. 7 ; Curtis, Brit. Ent. V. 7. pi. 329. Mutilla formicaria. Jurine, Obs. Hymenop. P. 266. PI. 13. fig. 49. Gonatopus muti.llarhis. Neesab Esenbeck, Hym. Ichneu. Affin. toni. 2. 384. ^ Tengyra Sanvitali. Lat. Gen. 4. 116; Vander Linden, Obs. pt. 1. p. 13; Guerin, Icon. PI. 69. f. 8. Head black, smooth, shining, with a few scattered pimctures ; III. MEllIOfA. 37 antenna^ ferruginous, tlie three or four last joints piceous ; mandibles ferruginous. Thorax and legs ferruginous, the hitter sometimes piceous ; the anterior tarsi slightly ciliated, and all the tibiee spinose. The abdomen black, and shining ; the fifth segment piceous at its margin, and the last ferruginous at its extremity ? . The $ differs in being entirely black and villose, the head much punctured in front, shining at the vertex ; the mandibles rufescent at the apex. The thorax slightly punctured, shining ; the dorsolum with two central parallel longitudinal lines, extend- ing its whole length ; another on each side, parallel with these, commencing opposite the tegulae and reaching the apex ; the scutellum deeply punctured, shining ; the metathorax very rugose, with a longitudinal carina extending its whole length, sometimes obsolete ; the tegulae and tarsi piceous, the wings hyaline, sometimes subfuscous, with their nervures piceous. The abdomen slightly punctured, shining ; the base of the seg- ments much depressed, and their margins constricted. $ in my own Cabinet, 5 in many. flf The female was first taken in July, 1828, by Mr. Curtis, at Black Gang Chine, Isle of Wight; it has since been captured at the same place by Mr. Westwood, the Rev. G. T. Rudd, and Mr. Walker, who has also taken it in September at Lyme Regis, Dorset ; and by the Rev. F. W. Hope at Southend, Essex. I have taken it fre- quently on Hampstead Heath, where I captured in June, 1833, also two specimens of the male, which I believe are the first and only instances of its being found in England. It is remarkable that both the days on which I caught those males turned out very boisterous before noon ; and both captures were made before 10 a.m. 38 SCOLIAD/E, Tribe II. FOSSORES. Lat. Never more than two kinds of individuals, and both have wings ; — the superior ones not longitudinally folded. The tongue never lanceolate or filiform, the feet never adapted to collect pollen ; the posterior tibiae never either very hirsute like a brush, or hollowed like a basket ; the first joint of the tarsi attached to them is never much wider than the subsequent ones. The other parts of the body never present hairs suited to gather pollen. I. Some have the collar prolonged laterally as far as the origin of the superior wings, sometimes arched or qua- drate, sometimes nearly in the form of a node. 1. The latter have their feet short and the antennae thick, with their joints very close and short. Family I. SCOLIAD.E. Leach. The legs of the 2 are robust, very spinose or densely ciliated; the femorae are arcuate towards their extremity, and compressed; the antennae are shorter than the head and thorax. Genus IV. Tiphia. Fab. Head the width of the thorax, excavate below the antennae, convex posteriorly ; eyes oval and lateral, widely separated and entire ; stemmata united closely in a triangle on the vertex ; antennce fihform, in both sexes shorter than the head and thorax, the first joint the longest, the second the shortest, the rest subequal^ decurved in the ? and straight in the $ ; labrum concealed, minute, coriaceous, ciliated; mandibles large, prominent, narrow, arcuate and longitudinally canaliculated. Thorax elongate ; collar transverse, extending as far back as IV. TII'IIIA. 39 the tegulae ; mesothorax narrow ; vietuLhorax abruptly trun- cated and having on each side a profound cavity ; scutellum small, transverse ; superior wings ivith one marginal cell, open in the j and closed by a transverse nervure at its apex, which is distant from the apical margin of the wing in the $ ; two sub- marginal cells, the frst receiving the first recurrent nervure and longer than the second, which receives the second recurrent nervure, and at its apex parallel with that of the marginal cell, some- times a third suhmarginal formed by a very slight indication of the cubital nervure continued to the apex of the wing : Legs short, thick, the thighs enlarged and compressed, particularly in the 5 , the exterior of the intermediate and posterior tibicp thickly set with short teeth or spines ; tarsi elongate, their joints furnished with verticillate setee, the terminal claws bifid, with a small pulvillus placed between them. Abdomen oval, distinctly petiolated, the petiole armed on each side near its junction with the abdomen with a small tooth ; the first seg- ment subpyriform and considerably narrower than the second, which, with the remainder, form a cone ; the hypopygium of the $ contracting itself into an uncurved spine, which does not extend beyond the podex. Type, T. femorata. f 4-t This genus, the name of which is derived from rj^rj, the name of an insect in /^lian, was first established in 1775 by Fabricius, in his Systema Entomologias, but he included several other genera in his enumeration of the species, which have since been separated by Latreille and Jurine. Illiger was not aware that the neuration of the wings slightly dif- fered in the two sexes, and consequently divided them into two sections, the one comprising the i and the other the $ . Sp. 1. FEMORATA. Fab. pilosa nigra (femoribus quatuor posticis compressis rufis, j) lined intermedia elevatd mctathoracis lineam transversam non attingente $ $ . length 3 — 5 lines. 40 SCOLIAD^E. $ Fab. Sys. Ent. 353. 1 ; Ent. Syst. 2. 223. 1 ; Piez. 232 ; Rossi, 2. No. 828; Lat. Hist. 13. 267; Nouv. Diet.; Panz. 53. 3. $ ; Jurine, PJ. 9. Gen. 11. $ ; St. Farg. et Serv. Ency. M6th. 10. 655. Bethyllus femoratus. Fanz. Krit. PvCv. 2. 134 J. $ T. viUosa. Fab. E. S. 2. 227. 18 ; Piez. 235. 22 ; Lat. Hist. 13. 267 ; Vander Linden, Obs. pt. 1. 10.2. Bethyllus villosus. Panz. 98. 16. Head, thorax, and abdomen black, pubescent with scattered punctures ; antennae black ; the superior surface of the meta- thorax with three longitudinal elevated lines, the central one abbreviated, not extending to the transverse one at their extremity upon the verge of the truncation, the interstices having a few delicate punctures ; the tegulae piceous, as also the nervures of the wings, the wings themselves slightly fuscous; the legs villose, the anterior pair black, with the apex of the tibiae and the tarsi rufo-piceous, the intermediate and posterior pairs rufous, with their coxae black, and their tarsi piceous. The margin of the segments of the abdomen and the apical segment rufo-piceous $ . Var. a. with the intermediate and posterior legs piceous ? . 7 lines. In Mus. Brit. 1 Sp. Var. j3. with the intermediate and posterior legs black, the antennae from the third joint rufo-piceous, and the nervures of the wings very slight $ . 51 lines. In Brit. Mus. 1 Sp. Var. y. the legs and antennae the same as var. j3. but the wings deeply fuscous, the stigma nearly obsolete, and the nervures of the wings slight and very pale $ . 4| lines. In Brit. Mus. 2 Sp. The $ differs in being entirely black, the wings hyaline and their nervures black. $ and $ in most Cabinets. flf This insect has occurred in abundance at Birch Wood in Kent, and it has been captured near London and in the New Forest, Hampshire, by Mr. Walker. The sexes have IV. TIPHIA. 41 hitherto been separated as two species, but Messrs. New- man and Davis have repeatedly taken them i?i copula, which, together with their conformity of sculpture, has enabled me to unite them as one species. The varieties of the $ with black legs were taken by Dr. Leach, I believe, in Devonshire, and the only specimens of this variety I am acquainted with are in the British Museum. Mr. Walker possesses in his cabinet a specimen of the $ with red legs, taken by himself in the South of France, which proves that it thus occurs. Sp. 2. MORio. Fab. pilosa nigra, metathorace rugoso. length 5 lines. ? Morio. Fab. Mant. 1. 280. 15 ; Ent. Sys. 2. 227. 17 ; Piez. 235. 21 ; Panz. 55. 1 ; Vander Linden, pt. 1. 10. 3. Black, villose and punctured ; apex of the mandibles rufescent. The metathorax rugose, widiout the longitudinal elevated lines ; the wings widi their stigma very large, and their nervures piceous. The abdomen very vdlose and shining $ . In the Brit. Mas. 1 Sp. •i-l-t This, I think, must be the true T. morio, as it is the only one I can find offering any sensible difference to the T. femorata in the London cabinets, and the metathorax presenting it at once. It appears very rare, for the only specimen I have seen is in the British Museum, and I be- lieve was taken by Dr. Leach in Devonshire. I have placed a note of interrogation before all the synonymes, as no Entomologist has before detected the true specific dis- tinction of this genus, all previous describers having made the differences contingent upon size, colour, and pubescence, consequently their true place may be under the T. femorata, which would make this a new species ; but I prefer retain- ing Fabricius' name as a doubt exists, although his specific 42 SrOMAD.T.. character and description will agree witii almost any re- cently disclosed ^ of T. femorata, or black-leh clavicornis. Lin. Syst. Nat. 1. 953. 3. F. S. 1686. $ Scolia prisma. Fab. Mant. 1. 282. 21 ; Ent. Syst. 2. 236. 31. 46 sapygidje. Hellus prisma. Fab. Piez. 247. 5. Masaris crahroniformis. Panz. 47. 22. $ $ Sapyga prisma. Klug, MoBOgr. Sir. Ger. 63. PI. 7. f. 7. $ . 8. $ ; Latr. Hist. 13.273. 2; Nouv. Diet. 30. 179. Head, thorax and abdomen black, the two former coarsely punctured ; two yellow spots between the base of the antennae, which has its two extreme joints luteous beneath. Thorax pubescent, with a yellow, transverse, abbreviated line on each side, at the anterior margin of the collar ; wings slightly coloured, the nervures black ; the legs black, with a longitudinal yellow mark on the outside of the base of all the femorse ; the tarsi as well as tibiae simple. The abdomen with a yellow spot on each side of the second segment, a subinterrupted band on the third, an interrupted one upon the fourth, and a large central spot upon the sixth, yellow, as well as a transverse ovate mark on each side of the third and fourth ventral segments 5 . The $ differs in having the antennae capitate and much longer than the thorax, with the underside of the joints from the fourth to the eleventh orange, the knob formed of two joints being quite black, the clypeus yellow. The thorax with only a yellow spot at the extreme angles of the collar ; the anterior tibiae with a yellow line in front, the others the same as in the 5 . The abdomen the same as in the 5 , with the exception of the spot on the sixth segment of that sex being here removed to the seventh. The venter entirely black. The abdominal fasciae in both sexes are variable in size, interruption and intensity of colour. $ . ? in my own and other Cabinets. flf The $ of the preceding species was labelled S. prisma in many collections, in spite of King's excellent description and figure ; but a British specimen of the true one did not exist in any of the London cabinets until Mr. Newman captured a couple of each sex in Herefordshire, in 1833, when he very kindly presented me with a pair. I have VI. POMPILUS. Afl since received the 5 from Mr. Bakewell, who informed me that Dr. Howitt captured several near Nottingham, and my friend Mr. Smith found three $ near Wakefield, in York- shire, in June last. It is thus evidently dispersed and only wants looking for to be found in equal abundance with the S. p-unctata. I follow Mr. Curtis in adopting Linne's name, since all doubt is removed as to the identity of his insect with Fabricius' S. 'prisma, by its still being pinned through the label, in his own handwriting, in his collection now at the Linnean Society, besides which his description agrees much better with this insect than with any other. Latreille sus- pects them to be parasitic upon some of the wild bees which build in old wood ; he found this species about the stumps of trees. 2. The following have their posterior legs at least as long as the head and thorax. The antennas of the ? formed of long joints generally distinct and often arcuate. Family III. POMPILID^. Leach. Prothorax transverse, at least as broad again as lono-, with its posterior margin arcuate. The abdomen obovoid, without any contraction, in the shape of a long petiole, at its base. Genus VI. Pompilus. Fab. Lat. Head transverse, of the width of the thorax ; eyes lateral, oblong ; stemmata placed in a triangle on the vertex ; antenna; setaceous, long, inserted in the middle of the anterior part of the face and approximate, — the first joint thick, the second very short, the rest cylindrical, the third the longest and the rest regularly decreasing in length, in the 9 convolute, and slightly 48 POMPILID^. curved in the ^ ; lahrum either entirely concealed or but slightly disclosed ; mandibles generally unidentate, sometimes bidentate. Thorax gibbo-cylindrical, truncate or obtuse at its extremity ; collar transverse, extending laterally to the tegulae, and posteriorly curved ; superior wings with one marginal cell, nearly semicircular or subtriangular, and three suhmarginal cells, — the first as long or longer than the two follow- ing, — the second receiving about its centre the first recurrent nervure, — the third, which is either triangular or subquadrate, receives the second, — a fourth suhmarginal sometimes traced; the posterior legs very long, the sides of the intermediate and posterior tibice generally spinose or serrated, and the anterior tarsi ciliated on the exterior ; the claws bifid, with a small pulvillus within their fork. Abdomen ovate in the $, elongate in the ^ . Type, P, fuscus. Obs. The nervures of the wings vary somewhat, not only in the species but also in individuals : the most variable are those species which form the second and third suhmarginal cells by contracting them considerably towards the marginal, which causes them to become triangular, and the second and third transverso-cubital nervures occasionally anastomose before reaching the radial, which makes the third suhmar- ginal cell petiolated ; the P. niger and P. viaticus are par- ticularly liable to this monstrosity ; but, as it is not constant, Jurine's second family of the genus Miscus cannot be re- tained. See Obs. on the genus Miscus. ■\\.-\ The name is derived from TrofATriXof —a sea-fish. Fa- bricius constructed the genus in 1798 in his " Supplement" to the " Ent. Syst." to receive several of his Spheces. Latreille had, however, previously, in his " Precis," con- structed the genus Psammochares from their characters, but he subsequently adopted Fabricius' name in preference, on VI. POMPILUS. 49 account of its greater euphony. Panzer, in 180G, in his " Revision," called them Ci-yptocheilus, (a very cha- racteristic name,) but by the \diw of priority it necessarily falls. The Rev. F. W. Hope has remarked to me that he has observed some of the species nidificate in wood, which St. Fargeau appears to confirm. I have never observed any myself with these habits, but it would necessarily be such as are without the ciliation of the tarsi. The majority make their cells in sand, which they provision with Arach- nidse. (a) Ahdomen entirely hlack, or with a grey or silvery pubescence. Sp. 1. PULCHER. cinereo pubescens abdominis segmentis basi atris, alis albis apice nigris $ . plumbeus, antennis atris, alis anticis apice nigris $ . length 2^ — 4| lines. Fab. E. S.Supp. 249. 19; Piez. 193. 29; Spin. 1. 69. 4; Coqueb. 2. 52. pi. 12. f. 8 ; V. d. L. pt. 1. 37. Sphex plumbea. Fab. Want. 1. 278. 64 ; E. S. 220. 92 ; Rossi, Mant. 1. 127.280; Villers, 3. 242. 57 ; Fab. Piez. 215. 40. Larra sexmaculata. Spin. I. p. 16. II. 75. Head and thorax black and punctured : a longitudinal fine running from the base of the antennae to the first stemma ; the clypeus and face on each side of the antennae covered with a dense silvery grey pubescence ; the mandibles piceous and forcipate ; labrum concealed. The thorax having the metathorax very delicately punctured and shining, with a longitudinal central impression ; the wings with their nervures black, and the extremity of the superior pair also black, forming a band which extends inwardly as far as the marginal and third submarginal cells, which latter is constricted E 50 P()MPII.I1);E. towards the marginal ; the legs black, entirely covered with a slate-coloured pubescence ; the anterior tarsi ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae with a double row of slight spines. The abdomen black, pubescent, slightly shining, with the margin of the three anterior segments having a fascia formed by a short dense slate-coloured down : the pubescence varies, it sometimes covers the whole of the segments except their base, and sometimes it is very slight, forming merely an interrupted band on the three first. The i differs in having the face covered with more of the silvery down, the tarsi less strongly ciliated, and the legs less spinose, and the slate-coloured pubescence covering the entire insect, excepting the antennae and a narrow line at the base of the segments of the abdomen, which are consequently black and shining ; the sixth ventral segment is emarginate, and the seventh longitudinally carinated. In most Cabinets. ill Found at Southend and in North Wales by the Rev. F. W. Hope, and on the coast of Suffolk by Mr. Johnson; at Barmouth, in September, by Mr. Walker, and at Rams- down, near Heron Court, Hampshire, by the Hon. Mr. Harris. Sp. 2. NIGER. Fab. totus niger, alls hyalinis, apicibus fuscis, abdominis segmentorum marginibus lucidis $ $ . length 3 — 5^ lines. Fab. Ent. Syst. Sup. 247. 8 ; Piez. 191. 15 ; Panz. 71. 19 ; St. Fargeau, Ency. Meth. 10. 180. 4 ; V. d. L. pt. 1. 36. Sphex nigra. Fab. Syst. Ent. 350. 22 ; E. S. 2. 211. 51 ; Vill. 3. 328. 45. Entirely black : head with the labrum slightly exserted, trans- verse, linear, emarginate and bearded in front ; the clypeus VI. POMPILUS. 51 sprinkled with a few rigid setae, as well as the exterior of the base of the mandibles, which are rufescent in the middle, black at base and apex, the teeth at equal distances and the apical one obtuse. The thorax gibbous ; the metathorax with a slight central abbreviated impressed line deeper at the base ; the scutellum forming a truncated triangle ; the wings clouded with a broad dark margin at the outer edge, extending inwards to the apex of the marginal and third submarginal cell, which is triangular and frequently petiolated ; the legs with a single row of slight spines on the exterior of the anterior tibiae and tarsi, the coxae of the intermediate and posterior ones covered on the outside with a silvery down, and their tibiae and plantae with a double row of slight spines, and the remaining joints of the tarsi with spines at their apex. The abdomen with a very slight whitish reflection at the base of the segments from the second and the apical one pilose. The $ differs in having the face covered with a silvery pubes- cence as well as the metathorax, which is less gibbous ; the legs spinose. The abdomen with the fourth ventral segment slightly and the fifth profoundly emarginate, with a longitudinal depres- sion in their centre. ^ § in my own and other Cabinets. -(■4-t Vander Linden thinks this species may possibly be a mere black variety of the P. viaticus ; which appears proba- ble at the first suggestion, but which inspection proves cannot be the case, for in the first place it is always considerably smaller, and the mandibles in the P. niger are but slightly arcuate, very broad, and the teeth nearly equal, whereas in P. viaticus they are very arcuate and the apical tooth con- siderably longer than the others ; the coxee also are of an opaque black in the latter, and the spines of the legs pro- portionately stronger, as well as the head and thorax being densely pilose. 52 POMPTLID.E. This species I have found at Highgate conveying a small sandy coloured larvae ; it does not appear so early as P. viatlcuSyhe'ing seldom to be found before the summer solstice. Mr. Walker has taken it in the Isle of Wight, and at Bar- mouth, in September. Sp. 3. BiFASCiATUs. Fab. ater, immaculatus, alls alhis, fasc'm duabus nigris, metathorace nitido. length 3 — 4 lines. Fab. E. S. Sup. 248 16; Piez. 193. 26; Panz. 86. 12; Latr. Hist. 13. 281.4; V. d Lind.pt. 1.40. Sfhex bif'asciata. Fabr. Ent. Syst. 2. 212. 58. fusciaia. Yillers, 3. 258. 94. Entirely black : head delicately punctured ; the clypeus with a few rufescent setae, as well as the exterior of the mandibles, their apex testaceous ; labrum concealed. Thorax punctured ; metathorax gibbous, scarcely perceptibly punctured and shining, having sometimes a small variole at the centre of its base ; the superior wings with their nervures pitchy, a narrow dark transverse fascia covering the transverso-medial nervure and the geniculation of the interno-medial, another, much wider, traversing the wing at the marginal and submarginal cells, which it nearly occupies, and a narrow dark edge at the apex of the wing in some specimens, leaving between it and the second fascia a milky spot ; the legs without the cilia to the anterior tarsi, and the posterior tibiae quite smooth, or having only a few lateral short hairs. The abdomen with the last segment covered with longish hair, and the apex slightly rufescent $ . The $ differs in having the fasciae of the wings less distinctly marked. $ in the Cabinet of Mr. Stephens. 2 in my own and other Cabinets. VI. POMPILUS, 53 t-l-t Found at Coombe, in the New Forest, and elsewhere ; the ^ appears to be rare. This species cannot be a variety of P. exaltatus, as a comparison of the two, or their descrip- tions, will distinctly show. Sp. 4. VARitGATus. Lin. ater, immacvlatus, aits albis, fasciis duabus n'lgris, nietathorace obscuro et crasse punctata seu transversa scalpto. length 4 lines. Illiger, F. E. 2. 99. 820. var. 2 ; V. d. L. pt. 1. 41. Sphex variegata. Lin. F. S. 1655; S. N. 1. 944. 18 ; Villere, 3.231. 30. Pompilus hircamis. Fab. E. S. Sup. 251.30; Piez. 195. 40; Panz. 87. 21 ; Ency. Al^th. 10. 180. 7. Entirely black : head punctured ; mandibles with their apex rufescent ; labrum concealed. Thorax punctured; dorsolum and scutellum shining; metatho- rax gibbous, very deeply punctured and opaque ; superior wings with a transverse dark fascia occupying the transverso-medial and the geniculation of the interno-medial nervures ; another, much broader, traversing the wing at the marginal and sub- marginal cells which it occupies, and with the exterior edge, which is also dark, encloses a milky spot ; the legs, with the anterior tarsi, having a few very short cilia, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae with a double row of very short spines on their exterior. The abdomen punctured ; the two last segments with some scattered rigid hairs, placed most thickly towards the apex of the terminal one. I am unacquainted with the $. 2 in my own Cabinet. t4^t Taken at Coombe, in August, 1833. This insect greatly resembles the preceding, from which however it is 54 I'OMI'ILID*:. sufficiently distinguished by its metathorax and legs. Vander Linden describes a ^ which he supposes to belong to this species, but as I do not concur with him I do not insert his description. Sp. 5. PETIOLATUS. V. d. L. niger, immaculatus, ahdomine breviter petiolato, alarum cellula cuhitali tertia antice parum anguntata, tibiis posticis hand serrulatis. length 3 — 5^ lines. V. d. L. pt. 1. 44. Entirely black : head punctured, with a longitudinal impres- sion extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma ; the clypeus with a few scattered griseous hairs ; the labrum concealed ; the apex of the mandibles rufescent. The thorax punctured; the metathorax obtuse, delicately transversely striated, the striae intermixed with punctures and a slight central impression at its base ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings very slightly coloured and having an iridescent reflection, the nervures piceous, and the third submarginal cell much larger than the second and but slightly constricted towards the marginal ; very short cilia upon the anterior tarsi, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae with a few short and very slight spines. The abdomen delicately punctured, shining, and very distinctly petiolated $ . The ^ does not at all differ except in the sculpture of its metathorax, which is more deeply punctured ; the face is covered with a silvery down ; the metathorax and coxae have a sericeous reflection ; the apex of the anterior tibiae are fulvous and their tarsi piceous ; the sixth ventral segment is emarginate. $ in my own Cabinet, ? in my own and others. t+t Vander Linden supposed the $ of this species to be the P. punctum, which I shall presently describe ; but as I VI, POMPILUS. 55 possess one wholly agreeing with the $ in habit, which the P. punctum does not, I prefer considering mine as the true $. The $ and $ taken at Bexley, in Kent, and the $ by ]\Ir. Westwood, at Hammersmith. Sp. (). ciNcxELLUs. Spin. n'/ger, cano pubescens, clypeo albido, macula nigra; fronte puncto utrinque ad marginem inter^mm ocul'i, prothoracis I'meoli utrinque, albidd ; pedibus rvjis ; alis albis, anticis ante apicem fascia fused 5 . niger, cano pubescens, fronte puncto utrinque ad marginem inter- num oculi, tibiarum posteriorum bast, et abdominis scgmento septimo supra, nitidis ; pedibus nigris $ . length 1|— 3 lines. Spinola, Ins, Lig. 2. p, 39 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 49, Entirely covered with a slate-coloured down: head black, a deep longitudinal line extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma, which has on each side a minute variole and a white spot Avithin the internal margin of the eyes just below the vertex ; the clypeus white, with a black mark extend- ing half way down from the base, truncated at its extremity ; the mandibles white with their apex rufescent ; labrum concealed. The thorax black, pubescent, delicately punctured ; the posterior margin of the collar with a white spot on each side, sometimes obsolete ; the metathorax with a central longitudinal impression and covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the wings hyaline, with a slight iridescent reflection, and having a broad dark trans- verse band towards their extremity, which is pale ; the legs red, with their coxae black and covered with a silvery down, and having their extreme apex red, the knees and terminal joints of the tarsi piceous, the anterior pair slightly ciliated, and the inter- mediate and posterior tibiae with a double row of short black spines. The abdomen black, with a delicate slate-coloured down, punc- tured, and slightly shining. 56 POMPILID^. The $ differs in being entirely black, with a white spot on each side upon the inner margin of the eye, sometimes obsolete ; the face covered with a silvery pubescence as well as the meta- thorax and coxae ; the wings have the fascia less distinct ; the inside of the anterior tibiae and the tarsi fulvous, and a white spot, sometimes obsolete, at the base on the outside of the posterior tibiae ; the cilia and spines of the legs less apparent and the last segment of the abdomen white above ; the sixth ventral segment deeply emarginate and the seventh has a longitudinal carina. (^ 5 in my own and other Cabinets, t+t This species seems to prefer old red-brick walls covered with parasitic plants, for I have generally taken it in such situations. It occurs also in sandy spots. (b) Abdomen black, with white spots. Sp. 7. PUNCTUM, Fabr. niger, facie utrinque ad marginem internum oculi lined albidd signatd, anoque 2JU7icto albo $ . length 5 lines. Panz. 86. 12 ; V. d. L. pt. 1. p. 45. Sfhex punctum. Fab. Spec. 1. 448. 33 ; Villers, 3. 238. 46. Evania punctum. Fab. E. S. 2. 194. 6. Ceropales puncUim. Fab. Piez. 187. 9. Head densely pvinctured, slightly pubescent ; antennae robust, slightly curved at the apex ; the face with two broad longitudinal white stripes within the interior orbit of the eyes, extending across the clypeus, which is slightly emarginate in front ; labrum concealed. Thorax minutely punctured ; metathorax more densely so and slightly covered with a sericeous down ; the tegulse piceous ; the wings fuliginous, the third submarginal cell larger than the second and very slightly constricted towards the marginal ; the VI. POMPILUS. 57 legs black and simple ; the anterior tibiae and tarsi piceous, and all the coxae and trochanters loosely covered with a sericeous down. The abdomen of an opaque black; a white spot at the base of the seventh segment and the first narrowed into a long petiole ; the sixth ventral segment emarginate, and the seventh with a longitudinal central carina $. $ in my own Cabinet. t-i-t I am unacquainted with the $ which Vander Linden considered to be the P. petiolatus, but which insect I have shown above to be distinct. Mine was taken in the vicinity of London. Sp. 8. HYALINATUS. Fab. niger, prothoracis lineold utrinque lutosd, ano puncto albo, alts hyalinis, femorihus quatuor posticis rufis $. length Z^ lines. Fab. Ent. Sys. Supp. 247. 7 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 46. 11. Sphex hyalinata. Fab. Ent. Sys. 2. 212. 56. Liris hyalinata. Fab. Piez. 230. 11. Black : head punctured ; antennae about as long as the thorax, robust ; apex of the mandibles rufescent ; face covered with a silvery pubescence ; labrum concealed. The thorax punctured ; the collar marked on each side with a transverse luteous line ; the metathorax covered with a sericeous reflection ; the wings perfectly hyaline or having a very slight tinge over the marginal and submarginal cells, the third sub- marginal larger than the second ; the legs black, with the inside of the anterior tibiae, the apex of the intermediate, and the major part of the posterior femorae towards the apex, red ; the posterior tibiae w^ith a few slight spines ; all the calcaria white. The abdomen has a white spot at the base of the terminal seg- ment and all the ventral segments entire $ . The ? I am unacquainted with. $ in my own and Mr. Davis' Cabinet. 58 POMPIHD^. f-l-t I am indebted to the kindness of A. II. Davis, Esq. for this species; it was taken in the north of England. Sp. 9. RUFiPEs. Lin. ater, abdominis segmentis utrinque maculd alhd, alis apice nigris, pedibus posticis ruhris $ $ . length 3 — 6 lines- Fab, E. S. Supp. 250. 27 ; Pies. 195. 37 ; Latr. H 13. 281. 6 ; Panz. 65. 17: Ency. Meth. 10. 180. 3; V. d. L. pt. 1. 59 ; Curtis, Brit. Ent. 5. 238. Sphex rufipes. Lin. F. S. 1659 ; S. N. 945. 29 ; Villers, 3. 235. 37 ; Fab. S. E. 351. 29 ; Ent. Syst. 2. 214. 66. fuscata. Fab, E. S. 2. 212. 57. Pompilusfuscatus. Fab. Ent. Sys. Supp. 248. 14 ; Piez. 192, 22. Black : the head hirsute, delicately punctured, with a longi- tudinal impressed line extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma ; mandibles piceous ; labrum triangular, slightly exserted. The thorax hirsute, punctured; the metathorax obtuse, deli- cately punctured, shining ; the wings with their nervures black, a broad black band on their external margin and the surface having an opaline reflection ; the legs black, with the posterior femorae and tibiae red, and the intermediate pair being more or less red inside ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated, and the inter- mediate and posterior tibiae with a double row of spines. The abdomen black and shining, with a transverse ovate white spot at the base of the second (sometimes obsolete) and third segments, the latter being the largest (one sometimes also on each side of the fourth segment), and a central one at the base of the sixth ? . The $ differs (also sometimes wanting the spots on the second segment) in having the spots on the third segment converted into an interrupted band (sometimes scarcely so, or else with all the white markings excepting that on the terminal segment wanting), otherwise like the $ , but having the customary $ characteristic VI. I'OMPILUS. 59 of more silvery pubescence ; the sixth ventral segment emarginate and the seventh has a longitudinal central carina. In my own and other Cabinets. f 4-t The colour of the legs differs much in this species, scarcely two specimens being alike, and sometimes the pos- terior pair are also quite black, as exhibited in a specimen in the Rev. F. W. Hope's rich cabinet. This species has been taken by the Hon. Mr. Harris and Mr. Curtis, at Ramsdown, near Heron Court, Hampshire, and by the Rev. F. W. Hope, at Southend, and in North Wales. (c) Abdomen more or less red at the base. Sp. 10. NOTATUS. Rossi. niger, antennis thorace paulb longioribus, abdominis segmento secundo supra fuscid rubra scepe obsoletd, pedibus partim n'tgris partim rubris $ . $ length 3f lines. Vander Lind. pt. 1. 47. 12. Sphex notata. Rossi, F. E. Mant. 1. 127. 281. Pompilus gutta. Spin. 2. 40. Black : head punctured and having a longitudinal impressed line extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma ; the antennEe slender, longer than the thorax ; the apex of the mandibles rufescent ; labrum concealed. The thorax punctured, slightly pubescent ; the metathorax finely granulated and covered with a silvery pubescence, most dense at the sides ; the tegulse piceous ; the wings iridescent, slightly tinged towards their extremity, their nervures black ; the legs with their coxae covered with a dense silvery pubescence, and the anterior femorae inside towards their apex, the whole of their tibiae and tarsi, the intermediate femorae and tibiae, except- ing the base of the former and the knees, and the entire 60 POMPILID^. posterior feniorae, red ; the sides of the posterior tibise with a few slight dispersed hairs. The abdomen with a broad red band at the base of the second segment ; the sixth ventral segment has a small emargination on each side of its centre, which is slightly produced $. In my own and Mr. Stephens' Cabinet. ■f\.-f I am unacquainted with the ? of this insect ; I took a single specimen, in 1833, at Highgate : Mr. Stephens', I believe, was captured at Ripley, in Surrey. Sp. 11. SERICATUS. N. Sp. ater argenteo sericeus ; abdominis segmento secundo fascia laid rufd $. length 4^ lines. Atrous : the head having the face covered with a dense silvery pubescence which extends a short way towards the vertex on the margin of the eyes ; the cheeks covered behind with the same : the labrum concealed. The thorax, with the metathorax obtuse, and having a central longitudinal impression ; the collar, metathorax, the sides of the thorax, mesothorax beneath, and all the coxae of the legs, densely covered with the silvery down ; the legs with their anterior tarsi simple, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae having a double row of very slight spines. The abdomen with the margin of the first segment piceous, and the base of the second of a deep red ; the venter with the margin of the fourth segment slightly emarginate and those of the fifth and sixth deeply so, with a small fossulet on each side of the emargination of the sixth ; the apical segment pointed at its extremity $ . In my own Cabinet. -j-4-t 1 am unacquainted with the ? . The dense silvery VI. POMPILUS, 61 pubescence with which this insect is so splendidly covered sufficiently distinguishes it from every other British Pompi- lus ; in general habit it most closely approaches to the P. viaticus. I have captured it but once, somewhere in the vicinity of London. Sp. 12. VIATICUS. Lin. ater, pubescens, alisfuscis, apice nigris, ahdomine antice coccineo, cingulis nigr'is $ ? . length 4 — 7 lines. Fab. E. S. Supp. 246. 4 ; Piez. 191. 12 ; Panz. 65. 16; lUig. 2. 96. 814 ; Ency. Meth. 10. 179. 1 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 72. Sphex viatica. Lin. F. S. 1651 ; S. N. 1. 943. 15 ; Fab. E. S. 2. 210. 47 ; Rossi, F. Et. 2. 62. 814. riifo-fasc'iato. De Geer, Ap. Retz. 65. 247; De Gear, 2. 822. PI. 28. f. 6. Pompiiusfuscus. Latr. H. 13. 280. 1. Atrous, opaque : head, with the cheeks and exterior of the mandibles, covered with long hair, the latter rufescent in their centre ; the labrum transverse, exserted. The thorax has the collar covered with long hair ; the meta- thorax truncated posteriorly and with a slight central longitudinal impression at its base ; the wings obscure, with a broad black band at their edge extending inwards to the marginal and sub- marginal cells, — the third siibmarginal sometimes triangular and sometimes petiolated ; the legs with the anterior tarsi ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae having a double row of spines, which extend also along the first joint of the tarsi. The abdomen, with the first, second and third segments coc- cineous, the first having a piceous margin, and the second and third a black one, making an angle which points inwards at the centre ; the apical segments hirsute at their extremity J . The $ agrees precisely with the exception of the usual ^ cha- racteristics of a silvery face, a sericeous pubescence about the metathorax and coxae, a greater length and narrowness of abdo- 62 POMPILID*. men, the legs less spinose and the anterior tarsi not ciliated ; the venter has its fifth and sixth segments emarginate, the former more slightly than the latter, and the sixth has a deep fossulet on each side of its emargination and a longitudinal carina at the base of the seventh, the apex of which is truncated. In most Cabinets. f -j-f This is a very common species ; it appears very early in the year, and I have frequently captured it conveying large spiders: it stings severely. A variety, having the apex of the posterior femorae red, is found on the continent. Ac- cording to the Linnean Cabinet, this is not the Sphex viatica of that author, our Ammophila hirsuta being it, but as his description perfectly suits it, I have retained his name, for the Cabinet, from a variety of unfortunate accidents, is not always to be depended upon. Sp. S. gibbus. Lin. niger, ahdomine ferrugineo, apice fusco, metathorace subtiliter punctato, alls anticis apice nigris $ 5 . length 2\ — 4^ lines. Fab. E. S. Supp. 249. 17; Piez. 193. 27; Panz, 77. 13; Ency. M^th. 10. 179. 2 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 68. 35. Sphei gibba. Lin. F. S. 1658 ; S. N. 946. 33 ; Fab. S. E, 350. 23 ; E. S. 2. 212. 59 ; Rossi, Illig. 2. 97. Black : head delicately punctured, pubescent ; apex of the mandibles piceous ; the labrum transverse ; linear almost con- cealed. Thorax very short and covered at its sides and metathorax with a very close short whitish down ; the metathorax very obtuse, deli- cately punctured, and having a slight longitudinal impression ; the wings with their nervures black, and a dark band at their external edge, the third submarginal cell very much narrowed tow.irds the marginal, or rather triangular ; the legs with their VI, POMPILUS. G3 anterior tarsi slightly ciliated, and their intermediate and posterior tibiae, as well as the first joint of the tarsi, spinose. The abdomen with the first, second, and base of the third segment, red, the margin of the red segments sometimes a little darker. The $ differs only in the usual characteristics of the silvery pubescence of the face, the anterior tarsi not ciliated, the legs less spinose and the greater length of the abdomen. In most Cabinets. Sp. l-t. CRASSICORNIS. N. Sp. n'lger, abdomhic ferrugineo, apice fusco ; aUs anl'tcls apice n'lgr'is ; anteymis crassis. length 2|^— 3i lines. Black : head delicately punctured ; the antennae as thick as the anterior tibiae and tlie clavolet nearly as robust as the scape, the joints very short ; the apex of the mandibles rufescent ; the labrum transverse, exserted. The thorax short, pubescent, covered on the metathorax and beneath, and on the coxae of the legs, with a sericeous reflec- tion ; the metathorax very delicately punctured and having a deep longitudinal central impression ; the wings obscure, with their nervures piceous, — the apical edge very dark, the band ex- tending inwards as far as the marginal and submarginal cells, their third submarginal triangular ; the legs with their anterior tarsi ciliated on the exterior, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae having on their outside a double row of spines. The abdomen, with the first, second, and base of the third segments, red ; the margin of the remainder piceous ; and the whole abdomen covered with a whitish reflection caused by a short close down. The $ I am unacquainted with. $ in the Cabinets of the Rev, G, T. Rudd, Rev. F. W. Hope, Mr. Haslehurst, and my own. 64 POMPILID^. f-j-f This species approaches very closely to the preced- ing, but I consider it sufficiently distinguished from it in the thickness of the antennae; it has also more of the whitish down upon its body. I at first thought it what Vander Linden calls the P.pectinipes of Linne, but the cilia- tion of the anterior tarsi cannot certainly be called "forte- ment pectines" as they are scarcely more so than in the pre- ceding species, and to which it is decidedly more closely allied than to the P. viaticus, with which he compares his P. pectinipes ; besides which it is very different from the specimens in the Linnean Cabinet; but the thickness of the antennas furnish so remarkable a character that it could not possibly have been overlooked. I took five specimens in 1832, at Hampstead, since when I have not captured it; but the Rev. F. W. Hope has taken it this year, at South- end, in Essex : and the Rev. C. Bird showed me a remark- able variety of it, captured at Burghfield, by S. W. Hasle- hurst, Esq. of Trinity College, Cambridge, which has upon the left side the nervures of Aporus ; but I have already shown above, under P. niger and viaticus, that this is not an unusual divarication in this genus. Sp. 15, Fuscus. Lin. niger, glaber, ahdomine basiferrugineo, alisfuscis $ 5 . length 3^—7 lines. Fab. E. S. Supp. 246. 3 ; Piex 189. 11 ; Panz. 65. 15 ; Ency. M6th. 10. 182. 16 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 66. 33. Sphexfusca. Lin. F. S. 1652; S. N. 944. 16 j Fab. S. E. 349. 19; E. S. 2. 210. 46 ; Rossi, 2. 95. 813. Black : the head punctured, pubescent ; the mandibles rufes- cent in the middle ; labrum slightly exposed, subemarginate. Thorax delicately punctured, pubescent ; metathorax some- what obtuse, with a deep impression at the centre of its base, VI. POMPILUS. 65 and very delicately transversely striated ; the wings with their nervures piceous, and a fuscous nebulosity covering their disk ; the legs with their anterior tarsi slightly ciliated, the intermediate tibiae and first joint of their tarsi very spinose ; and the posterior tibiae strongly serrated, and the first joint of their tarsi also very spinose. The abdomen shining, with the first and second segments, and the base of the third, red ; the apical segments somewhat hirsute. The ^ does not differ except in the usual characteristics, and the posterior legs having only a few dispersed spines ; the apical segment of the abdomen is furcate and has on each side some curved hairs, and the margin of the sixth ventral segment has two lateral incisions. In most Cabinets. -j-4-f I have an insect almost intermediate between the P. fuscus and -P. affinis, it having the wings of the former, and the metathorax coarsely punctured, with a few transverse striae in the centre. I consider it merely a variety of the above, unless I should discover more that resemble it. This is a common species, but differing rather in habits from the others of the genus, as it is found almost exclu- sively on the banks of hedge rows. The $ is generally much smaller than the $ . Sp. 16. AFFINIS. V. d. L. ater, abdominis hasi rufo-ferrugineo, metatliorace irregulariter rugoso, alis alhis apice nigris $ 5 . length 5—7 lines. V. d. Lind. Obs. pt. 1. 67. 34. Black : head punctured, pubescent, a longitudinal impressed line running backwards from the base of the antennae, but not extending beyond the foot of the tubercle upon which they are placed, and which in front it divides into two prominences ; the F 66 POMriLID^. apex of the mandibles piceous ; labrum slightly exserted, sub- emarginate. The thorax delicately punctured, pubescent ; the metathorax very coarsely wrinkled transversely, with a central longitudinal impression ; the nervures of the wings black, the wings them- selves slightly fuscous, with a broad dark band at their edge which extends inwardly as far as the marginal and submarginal cells ; the legs with the anterior tarsi slightly ciliated, and the intermediate tibiae and first joint of the tarsi spinose ; the pos- terior tibiae strongly serrated, and the first joint of their tarsi also spinose. The abdomen has a whitish reflection, and the first, second, and base of the third segments, red, — the margin of the second being more deeply coloured ; the remainder black, with their margins piceous, and the last segment having its apex covered with fulvous hair j . The $ differs only in the usual characteristics and the metathorax being less coarsely wrinkled, the central longitudinal impression deeper, and the sixth ventral segment very slightly emarginate. In the Cabinets of Mr. Curtis, Mr. Hope, Mr. Stephens, and my own. -j-^f This species has been found by myself in the vicinity of London, I think in Copenhagen Fields ; by Mr. Ste- phens at Ripley ; by the Rev. F. W. Hope at Southend, in Essex ; and by Mr. Curtis in Norfolk. Sp. 17. EXALTATUS. Fab. niger, abdominis basi rufo, alis apicefuscis, puncto albo. length 2^ — 6i lines. Fab. E. S. Supp. 251.31 ; Piez. 195. 41 ; Panz. 86. 10; Revis. 2. 119; Lat. H. 13.281.3; Ency. Meth. 10. 182. 15; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 64. 30. Sphex exaltata. Fab. S. E. 351. 31 ; E. S. 2. 214. 69; Villers, 3. 239. 47. albomaculata. Schrank. Ins. Austr. 383. 75 ; Villers, 3. 249. 80. PompUus variegatus. Var. 1. lUiger, F. E. 2. 99. 820. VI. POMPILUS. 67 Black : head delicately punctured ; mandibles rufescent, with their base black ; labrum concealed. Thorax opaque, delicately punctured ; the metathorax with a very slight longitudinal impression ; the tegulse piceous ; the wings iridescent, with their nervures black, and a dark cloud covering the marginal, submarginal, and discoidal cells, enclosing with the black external edge of the wing a white spot towards its extremity ; the legs with the anterior tarsi simple, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae slightly serrated on the ex- terior. The abdomen, with the first and second segments, and the third on the sides at the base, red, — the apical segments being slightly ferruginous $ . Var. /3. with the inside of the anterior legs, and the posterior femorae, and base of the tibiae, red ? . The $ differs in wanting generally the white spot at the ex- tremity of the wings, and also in having the posterior tibiae simple, and the sixth ventral segment slightly emarginate. In most Cabinets. fit This species is very variable in the marking of the vpings, for the white spot is not always present and is some- times only slightly indicated, and it is also very variable in size, which two circumstances have frequently led to its being separated into different species. It is one of the most common. Sp. 18. FAsciATELLus. Spin. 7iiger, abdomine antice rufo, alls hyalims fascia ante apicem fused $ . length 4J lines. Splnola, 2. 37. PI. 5. f. 22 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 65. 31. Black : head punctured ; apex of the mandibles rufescent ; labrum concealed. F 2 68 POMPILlD«. Thorax punctured, somewhat gibbons and very short ; meta- thorax the same, and very delicately punctured and shining ; the wings with their nervures black, and a broad transverse fascia covering the marginal, second and third submarginal, and a portion of the third discoidal cells, not extending to the posterior margin of the wing, and another very slight transverse mark covering the geniculation of the externo- and transverso-medial nervures ; the legs black, the anterior tarsi very slightly ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae very strongly serrated. The abdomen, with the first, second, and base of the third seg- ments, red. The ^ I am unacquainted with. In the Cabinet of Mr. Hanson and my own. f-j-f This species is very distinct from the preceding when compared with it, its thorax being much more gib- bous, the wings differently marked, the nervures traced differently, and the posterior tibiag more strongly serrated. I have caught it at Hampstead and Highgate, but it is rare. I have not now taken it for three years. I have seen a specimen in the possession of Mr. Hanson. Genus VII. Ceropales. Lat. Head compressed, of the width of the thorax ; eyes oval, placed laterally high ; the stemmata in a triangle on the forehead ; aniennce filiform in the ? , gradually but very slightly increas- ing in thickness towards the apex in the ^ , inserted in the middle of the anterior part of the face, rigid, a little curved, and the division of the joints scarcely distinguishable ; labrum nearly triangular, somewhat obtuse at its base, attached to the anterior edge of the clypeus, entirely exserted ; the mandibles with a sharp tooth below their apex. The thorax gibbous ; collar transverse, extending laterally to the tegulae ; scutellum very prominent ; metathorax inclined ; superior wings having VU. CEUOPALES. 69 one marginal cell, the extremity of which is nut detached from the margin of the wing, and four suhmarginal cells, the first a little longer than the second, which is oblong and receives the first re- current nervure, — the third much narrowed towards the marginal cell and receiving the second recurrent nervure, — the fourth reaching the extremity of the wing ; legs moderately long, the posterior ones disproportionately so ; the posterior tibiiXeco — / love, was established by the Rev. Mr. Kirby, in 1798, for some insects which he separated from Sphex and Pepsis of Fabricius, who, however, did not do him the justice to adopt it in his subsequent works ; nor was it adopted by Latreille in his Histoire, but he receives it in his " Genera," published in 1809. Even Spinola considered one of the species as a Pepsis, notwithstanding the vast discrepancy of habit. J urine retains it as Sphex, forming of the insects which compose it his first family of that genus ; but if he did not know Mr. Kirby's genus, I feel surprised he did not form one for it, as it is distinctly separate according to his own characters. St. Fargeau observes upon the habits of these insects, IX, AMMOPHILA. 75 that they construct their burrows in sand alone, and supply their larvae with Arachnidae and the larvae of Lepidoptera, and select by preference those of the Noctuae, sometimes as large as themselves. They sting them towards the middle of the body, which renders them torpid, but does not kill them, and prevents their motion. The Ammophila then extending itself in its whole length upon the larva, seizes it with its mandibles near the head, and supports the re- mainder of the body with its legs. But thus encumbered it can no longer fly ; it therefore proceeds but slowly, dragging it along. Should it perceive any obstacle in its path, such as a stone or tuft of plants, it quits its load an instant and springs lightly forward to reconnoiter and explore its way, but returns immediately to resume its burden. He re- marks having watched a $ , thus loaded, clear a wall eight or ten feet high, but not without frequent mischances. The caterpillar fell several times to the ground, when the Ammophila placed it upon a projecting stone to rest itself and recruit its own strength ; but it renewed its task with extraordinary perseverance and succeeded in accomplishing it. I can corroborate this interesting anecdote by a similar fact, — which I will mention under the A. sabulosa. I have never observed these insects convey caterpillars, for when- ever I have caught them with their prey it has consisted invariably of spiders. (a) The petiole of the abdomen two-jointed. Sp. 1. SABULOSA. Lin. nigra, hirta, segrnento secundo tertioque ferrugineo 5 $. length 7^ — 11 lines. Latr. N. Diet. torn. 1. 450. Sphei sabulosa. Lin. F. S. 1648 ; S. N. 1. 941. 1 ; Villers, 3. 219. 1 ; Fab. S. E. 346. 1 ; E. S. 2. 198. 1 ; Piez. 205. 1 ; Panz. 65. 12 ; 76 SPHECID^. De Geer, 2. pt. 2. 822. PI. 28. f. 7 — 15 ; Rossi. 2. 90. 808 ; lllig. F. E. 2.91; Latr. H. 13.292. 1. dimidiata. Christ. 313. PI. 31. f. 4. lutaria. Panz. 65. 14 $. Ichneumon. Geoffroy, 2. 349- 63. Ammophila vulgaris. Kirby, Trans. Lia. Society, vol. 4, p. 195. 1. Black : head punctured, pubescent, with a deep longitudinal impression arising between the antennae at their base, and ex- tending to the anterior stemraa, and thence enclosing the whole of the stemmata. Thorax punctured, pubescent ; the tubercles, an oblique ovate spot on each side beneath the wings, and on each side at the insertion of the abdomen, covered with a dense sericeous down ; the scutellum longitudinally striated ; the metathorax with a slight central longitudinal elevation, the sides having rather coarse oblique wrinkles, diverging from the centre ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings hyaline, with the nervures piceous, and a broad black band on the exterior edge extending inwardly as far as the marginal cell ; legs black ; the coxae covered with a short sericeous down, as well as the undersides of the meso- thorax ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated on the exterior ; the tibiae spinose, the posterior pair less strongly so than the four anterior. The abdomen clavate, finely punctured, pubescent ; the first joint of the petiole and base of the second black ; the remainder of the second, and the whole of the second segment of the abdomen, and base of the third, red ; the rest black, the anal segment having at its extremity several rigid hairs 5 . The $ differs in having the whole body considerably more pubescent, the anterior portion of the face covered with a dense sericeous down ; the metathorax more irregularly rugose ; the legs less spinose, and it has a black longitudinal stripe along the top of the second joint of the petiole and second segment of the abdomen, but which varies much in the depth of its colour, being sometimes obsolete. In most Cabinets. IX. AMMOPHILA. j-j-f This is a very common species, and found, I believe, in all sandy districts. I have observed the $ dragging a very large inflated spider up the nearly perpendicular side of a sand bank, at least twenty feet high ; it met with similar mischances to those mentioned in the observations upon the genus, but it dragged its prey backwards and solely by the mandibles, and its object in quitting it seemed to be to ascertain if it was still in the right tract, for it invariably flew forward to the burrow formed for its deposit. It was so intent upon its labour, that it allowed me to watch it very closely, and I respected its perseverance ; for, although a magnificent specimen, I sacrificed my Entomological cupidity to my admiration of its wonderful instinct and industry. The 5, whilst forming her burrow, makes a loud whirring buzz : this circumstance I was first led to observe by tJie Rev. G. T. Rudd, who pointed the insect out to me in the act ; and I have since found that it con- tinues this sound in its flight if disturbed, whereas it wings its way noiselessly at other times. It is extremely elegant in its motions, giving them a very graceful undulation and lightness. (b) The petiole of the abdomen being merely an abrupt contraction of the base of the first segment. Sp. 2. HIRSUTA. Scop. hirsuta, nigra, vietathorace rugoso, abdomine antice rufo. length 6f — 10 lines. Kirby, Lin. Trans. 4. 195. 4 ; Samonelle, Comp. PI. 8. f. 5 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 1. 89. Sphei hirsuta. Scopoli, Ent. Cam. 772 ; Villers, 3. 223. 70. arenaria. Fab. Mant. 1. 273. 2 ; E. S. 2. 199. 2 ; Villers, 3. 225. 16 ; Rossi, 2. 92. 809 ; Panz. 65. 13. viatica. De Geer, 2. 152. PI. 28. f. 16 ; Lat. Hist. 13. 293. 2. Pc/)Sis are7iaria. Illig. F. E. 2. 92. 809. 78 SPHECID.'E. Ammophila viatica. Latr. N. Diet. I. 450. ^ argentea. Kirby, Trans. Lin. Society, 4. 195. 4. Black : liead coarsely punctured, covered with a thick black hirsuties. Thorax very hirsute, coarsely punctured ; scutellum a little smoother ; metathorax with a central longitudinal ridge, the sides rugose ; tegulae piceous ; wings transparent, with a broad marginal dark band, the nervures fuscous ; legs black ; femorae pilose ; anterior tarsi strongly ciliated on the exterior, and all the rest furnished on each side with rigid bristles ; the interior of the posterior tibiae lined towards their extremity with a close brown velvety pubescence. The abdomen smooth, shining, ovate, attached by a short petiole, which is black ; the first, second, and base of the third segments, red ; the remainder black, the anal segment having a few rigid setae at its extremity j . The $ differs in having the hirsuties griseous, the face covered with a close silvery pubescence, and the longitudinal ridge of the metathorax obsolete ; the legs being less spinose, and cover- ed with a short close sericeous down ; the wings less coloured ; the abdomen clavate, and covered with a short silky down ; the petiole longer, and the third segment with only the margin black. In most Cabinets. •|-|-j- This is a very common species. I have frequently .taken them in copula. Sp. 3. AFFiNis, Kirby. nigra, metathorace in extremo depresso, et transverse^ seu obliqu^ striato, abdominis basi rufo. length 7J— 10^ lines. Kirby, Lin. Trans. 4. 195. 2; V. d. Lind. Obs. pt. 1. 87. 5, $ Sphex lutaria. Fabr. Mant. 1. 273. 3 ; E. S. 2. 199. 3 ; Villers, 3. 225. 17. Pepsis lutaria. Fab. Piez. 208. 2. X. Miscus. 79 Blacky punctured, pubescent : head with the stemmata placed in a close triangle on the forehead, in the front of the anterior one there is an impressed line extending to the base of the antennae. The thorax, with the dorsolum having an impressed line furcate at its base, extending backwards from the collar to the disc ; the metathorax delicately, either transversely or obliquely, wrinkled, and having towards its extremity a fossulet, which extends to the truncation, the striae or wrinkles diverge on each side from the centre ; the wings darkly clouded, their edge having a broad black margin which extends inwardly as far as the marginal and submarginal cells ; the nervures piceous ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated, and all the tibiae spinose. The abdomen, with the petiole and the basal half of the first segment, and the three apical segments, black ; the posterior portion of the first segment, and the second and third segments, of a deep dull red 5 . The $ differs in having the face covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the legs and abdomen also covered with a close down, of a yellowish hue ; the superior surface of the meta- thorax with a subturbinate enclosure, transversely delicately striate with a central longitudinal impression, the sides of the enclosure rugose ; the petiole and nearly the whole of the first segment of the abdomen black, a portion of the sides only red, the second and third segments red, with the margin of the latter black. (J $ in my own and other Cabinets. f-j-f This species has occurred in Essex, Hampshire, and Suffolk ; it is very distinct from the preceding. Genus X. Miscus. Jurine. The characters of this genus are precisely those of the first section of Ammophila, with the exception of the third sub- marginal cell being petiolated. Type, M. campestris. 80 SPIIECIDiE. f 4-f Jiirine having observed some Spkeces and Pompili with the third submarginal cell petiolated, established this genus for their reception, and it is from this character that the name is derived, viz. ju-iVxcj, from /xiVp^oj — a stalk. He divided it into tw^o families, the first to receive the former and the second the latter. Experience has proved that the last will not stand, as they are merely accidental varieties of the neuration of the wing in Pompilus (see obs. under P. niger and viaiicus) ; but the former I retain, for all that I have examined are specifically distinct from the Ammophila with two joints to the petiole, and the petiole of the third submarginal cell always accompanies those peculiar specific differences. St. Fargeau has made it the third subdivision of the second division of Ammophila, in the tenth volume of the Encyclopedic Methodique, which is the more sur- prising, as in dividing Gorytes and Crabro he almost splits hairs ; but I here restore the genus, and shall consider it a good one, until I find individuals of the same species with the nervures of Ammophila sabulosa, which I have never yet discovered, although I have examined many both British and continental specimens. Sp. 1. CAMPESTRIS. Lat. niger, metathorace in medio depresso et a latere ohliqu^ striata, abdominis segmento secundo et tertio rufo. length 7—8^ lines. V.d. Lind.pt. 1.92. Ammophila campestris. Latr. Gen. 4. 54 j Nouv. Diet. 1. 450; St. Fargeau, Ency. M^th. 10. 453. Black, pubescent, punctured : head with a central impressed line in front of the anterior stemma extending to the face ; stemtnata placed upon the vertex. The thorax having the dorsolum very delicately transversely XI. SPIIEX. 81 striated ; the metathorax with a central longitudinal slight de- pression and obliquely striated, the striae diverging from the centre, its apex densely sericeous, and the pectus has a sericeous patch on each side beneath the wings ; the tegulse piceous ; the wings clouded, with a dark border at their margin, their nervures black ; legs spinose, and the anterior tarsi ciliated. The abdomen has the petiole black as well as the extreme base of the first segment, the remainder of which, and the entire second, and base of the third, red $ . The $ differs in having the face beneath the antennae densely covered with a sericeous pubescence ; the sculpture in general more strongly marked ; the metathoracic impression sometimes obsolete, with the petiole, and the superior surface of the two first segments, black ; sometimes the extreme base of the second red, and the rest entirely black. ^ and ? in my own and other Cabinets. f -j-f Found in Dorsetshire, and in the New Forest. The Rev. G. T. Rudd informs me, that he knows but one spot in the New Forest where it is to be taken. The Ammo- phila vulgaris, with which alone it could be confounded, is abundant in the same district ; but that they are specifically different the most superficial examination will immediately detect, and until I have strong proofs to the contrary I shall hold Miscus a good genus. 2. Maxillae and labium shorter, or scarcely longer than the head, geniculated merely at their extremity ; nearly all the joints of the palpi obconical. Genus XI. Sphex. Auctorum. Head large, transverse, of the width of the thorax ; eyes large, oval ; stemmata placed in a triangle at the vertex ; antennas filiform, inserted at the middle of the face near the base of the BM sphectdjE. clypeus, which has the form of a truncated triangle, the apex extending high in the face, the anterior margin rounded ; labrum concealed when the mandibles are closed, but some- what turbinate, and having a central longitudinal carina ; the mandibles large, arcuate and bidentate, each tooth having at its base, within, a small process, the apical tooth acuminate, and the inner one triangular, sometimes obtuse at its ex- tremity. Thorax ovate ; the collar transverse, attenuated and depressed, and constricted in front into a sort of neck ; the dorsolum having an epaulet, generally pubescent, passing over the tegulae ; the scutellum transverse ; the metathorax slightly inclined, truncate posteriorly ; the superior wings rvith one marginal cell long and narrow, rounded at its apex, and three submarginal cells — the first as long as the two following — the second quadrate, receiving the first recurrent nervure towards its end — the third forming a truncated triangle, with its posterior margin slightly rounded, and receiving the second re- current nervure in its middle — a fourth cell sometimes com- menced ; the legs moderately long and stout, and generally having the anterior tarsi ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibice with a double row of spines. The abdomen ovato-conical, distinctly and abruptly petiolated, the petiole formed of the anterior half of the first segment ; the hypo- pygium flattened at its extremity, and obtuse, and produced beyond the podex. Type, S. flavipennis. f ^.f The name is derived from criifDj^, a wasp ; it is very old, and long remained a grand heterogeneous repository, until by degrees several genera were separated from it ; but it now comprises, thanks to Jurine, only such as possess the above characters, which form those of his second family of the genus Sphex. XI. SPHEX. 83 Sp. 1. FLAVIPENNIS. Fab. nigra, f route aured, ahdomine rufo, petiolo apiceque atris, tarsis Jerrugineis. length 7^ lines. Fab. E. S. 2. 201. 10 ; Latr. Hist. 13. 293. 3 ; Jurine, 129. PI. 8. Gen. 5. fam. 2 ; Ahrens, Fauna Europ. 6. 18 ; V. d. L. pt. 1.94. Pepsis flavipeimis. Fab. Piez. 210. 13. Black, delicately punctured, pubescent : head with the mandi- bles ferruginous and their apex piceous ; the face covered with a dense aurichalceous pubescence. Thorax with the scutellum very prominent, and a longitudinal depression in the middle ; the post-dorsolum lunulate, and also very elevated ; the metathorax covered with a dense griseous hirsuties, which conceals its sculpture ; the legs black, with the tarsi ferruginous — the anterior tarsi ciliated outside, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose ; the tegulae ferru- ginous ; the wings fuscous, with their nervures rufo-piceous. The abdomen with the petiole and base of the first segment black ; the remainder of the first segment, and the second and third, red ; the rest black, with their margins piceous. I am unacquainted with the $ . 5 in the Cabinet of Mr. Stephens. f If This insect, which is unique as British, Mr. Stephens thinks was taken in Norfolk. Genus XII. Dolichurus. Latr. • Head subglobose, of the width of the thorax, slightly depressed in front, convex posteriorly, having a tubercle rising abruptly at the base of the clypeus, concave on its superior surface ; eyes oval, placed at the sides of the head ; stemmata seated near the vertex ; antennce filiform, longer than the thorax, inserted at the lateral angles of the tubercles of the face, the scape thick, and nearly as long as the third joint, the pedicle subglobose, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth joints subequal, the remainder regularly decreasing in length, and all from the G 2 84 SPHECID^. second cylindrical ; tlie clypeus transverse, convex, truncate in front ; labrutn concealed ; mandibles long, narrow, arcuate, acuminate at their apex, and dentate within. Thorax oval ; the collar transverso-quadrate, narrowing into a kind of neck ; the suture that separates the dorsolum and scutellum very advanced, extending between the tegulae of the superior wings ; the scutellum semicircular, flat ; the metathorax trun- cated posteriorly ; the superior wings with one marginal and four submarginal cells — the marginal cell long and narrowed beyond the second submarginal, the first submarginal having the com- mencement of a nervure springing from the first transverso-cubital and returning backwards — the second and third submarginal cells much narrowed towards the marginal, and each receiving a re- current nervure — the fourth extending to the apex of the wing ; the legs long and slender ; the coxce subglobose ; the femorce obclavate, slightly flattened on the interior surface. The ABDOMEN slightly elongate, conical, attached to the thorax by a broad, short, flat petiole ; the first, second, and third segments constricted at their margin ; the terminal segment prolonged into an obtuse point, whence the sting is exserted. Type, D. corniculus. t4-t The etymology is loXfxr\, long — ovpu, a tail, from the prolongation of the apex of the abdomen. It is rather singu- lar that Latreille should have given the genus a masculine termination, the Greek substantive from which it is derived being feminine. The insect which led to its construction had been described by Spinola as a Pompilus, but both Latreille and Jurine, to whom he sent it upon finding subsequently other specimens, considered it immediately a new genus allied to Alyson, whence he called it Alyson ater, forgetting, I suppose, that he had previously described it as Pomp, corniculus ; but I strongly suspect that his A. ater is the Pison ater of the continent. The specific name will con- sequently remain the same as first described by Spinola. XII. DOLICHURUS. 85, Sp. 1. CORNICULUS. Spin. ater, nitidus, immaculatus ^ j . length 3—4^ lines. St. Fargeau, Ency. Meth. 10. 450. Pompilus cornicidus. Spin. 2. 52. Pison ater. Lat. Gen. 4. 58. Dolichurus ater. Lat. ib. 387 ; V. d. L. pt. 1. 95. Black : head subpubescent, deeply punctured. Thorax deeply punctured ; the dorsolum having on each side a longitudinal impression which terminates suddenly near the suture that separates it from the scutellum ; the metathorax with its superior surface enclosed by an elevated line forming a trun- cated triangle, the interior whereof is occupied by three irregular longitudinal carinas, between which and at the sides it is trans- versely wrinkled ; the tegulse rufo-piceous ; the wings slightly coloured ; the legs covered with a short pubescence ; the tibiae and tarsi simple, and the latter with the apex of their joints rufo-piceous. Abdomen smooth, shining, the posterior margin of the seg- ments rufo-piceous. The ^ differs only in having the abdomen slightly punctured. $ and 5 in the Cabinet of the Brit. Mus. ■flf It was somewhat difficult to decide which might be specific characters, having only one specimen of each sex to examine ; but I have taken such as are generally so, viz. the sculpture. I shall be happy if the discovery of a second species should prove me wrong, hitherto but one specimen of each sex has occurred ; they were taken by Dr. Leach many years ago, I believe in Devonshire. Family VI. LARRID^. Leach. The labrum entirely concealed, or but slightly exserted. 86 LARRID*. The mandibles are deeply emarginate on the exterior. The abdomen ovoido-conical or conical. 1. Three submarginal cells. Genus XIII. Larra. Fab. Head large, compressed, a little wider than the thorax, with two deep sulcations in the face for the reception of the first joint of the antennae; the vertex occupied by a quadrate space, enclosed in front and on the sides by an elevated ridge, terminated posteriorly by a transverse fossulet occupying the situation of the posterior stemmata, which are obsolete and approximate, the anterior stemma is seated in front of the en- closure, and very minute ; eyes oval, lateral, slightly converg- ing at the vertex ; antennce filiform, inserted at the base of the clypeus, with the basal joint very incrassate ; clypeus trans- verse, the anterior margin inflexed and then reflexed; the mandibles large, arcuate, with a dentation on the exterior towards the base. Thorax oval; the collar transverse, almost concealed beneath the gibbosity of the dorsolum in the $ ; the scutellum transverse ; the metatkorax very long, trun- cated posteriorly ; the superior rvings with one marginal cell appendiculated, and three submarginal cells, the first as long as the two following— the second receiving both the recurrent nervures near its centre — the third lunulate — sometimes a fourth scarcely commenced ; the legs moderately long, spinose ; the femorce obclavate ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated on their ex- terior, the joints of the rest having a fascicle of rigid hair at their extremities. Abdomen ovato-conical, acuminate at its apex in the 5 , furcate in the ^ . Type, L. anathema. f4't This genus, of which the etymology is exceedingly doubtful, was first established, in 1793, by Fabricius, in his " Entomologia Systematica," and immediately adopted by xni. LARRA. 87 Latreille in his " Precis." Panzer, in his " Kritische Revision," 1806, again divided it, from a slight difference in the oral organs, restricting the genus Larra to the Z. anathema, and calling the others Tachytes ; but I entertain, with Latreille, considerable doubt whether they ought to be divided generically, as their wings are the same : and in a series of foreign species I find the other characters merge insensibly into each other, leaving the length of the meta- thorax the only tangible one. But I humbly follow in the wake of eminent Entomologists and retain it for the present. Sp. 1. ANATHEMA. RoSsl. nigra, subpuhescens, alis violaceis, abdomine antice ferrugineo, segmentis ad latera lucidis. length 7 J — 10^ lines. Coquebert, lUustr. Dec. 2. PI. 12. f. 11. Sphex anathema. Rossi, 2. 101. 822. Liris anathema. Illig. 2. 101. 822. Larra ichneumoniformis. Fab. E. S. 2. 221 . 4 ; Piez. 220. 4 ; Panz. 76. 18 ; Latr. Nouv. Diet. 17. 324 ; Coquebert, Dec. 2. f. 10. Black : head punctured, pubescent ; face within the sulci smooth, shining, a deep central longitudinal impression extend- ing from the transverse fossulet at the vertex to the occiput ; antennae black, covered with a brown pubescence, excepting the scape, which is glabrous, and beneath rufo-piceous ; the clypeus slightly covered with an aurichalceous down. Thorax punctured, pubescent ; metathorax finely granulated, with a longitudinal central carina, which changes into an im- pression at the truncation ; the tegulae testaceous ; wings deeply coloured, chiefly towards the anterior margin ; legs black, pubescent ; the tarsi piceous, with the apical joint black. Abdomen smooth and shining, the two first segments red, the margin of the three first slightly constricted, and of all, from the third, piceous in the centre, all the segments covered laterally with a dense sericeous down $ . 88 LARRID^. The $ differs in having the pubescence thicker in the face ; the wings less coloured ; the legs less spinose, and the abdomen entirely opaque, caused by its being wholly covered with mi- nute punctures ; and the margins of the segments broadly co- vered with the sericeous pubescence. ^ $ in the Cabinet of British Museum and of Mr. Stephens. f If These insects were caught many years ago, in De- vonshire, by Dr. Leach ; Mr. Halliday, in the " Entomo- logical Magazine," states that he has captured it in Ireland. Genus XIV. Tachytes. Panz. Head transverse, depressed in front, a little wider than the thorax, with a depression on each side of the face, at the base of the clypeus, extending half way to the vertex, bending in a slight curve from the eyes to the base of the antennae, covered, as also the clypeus, sparingly in the $, but more densely in the $ , with an aurichalceous pubescence ; eyes oval, converging at the vertex ; stemmata placed low, but within the return of the interior margin of the eye, the an- terior one somewhat lower, the posterior pair obsoleto-con- fluent ; antennce filiform, inserted at the base of the clypeus, the basal joint gradually incrassate, obconical, the rest cylin- drical, the second short, and the apical one acuminate, the whole slightly covered with a silvery pubescence ; the clypeus transverse, the anterior margin inflexed, with the edge sud- denly reflexed ; lahrum concealed ; mandibles large, arcuate, acuminate, with a dentate process on the exterior, towards the base. Thorax oval; the collar almost concealed beneath the gibbosity of the anterior part of the mesothorax ; the scutellum transverse ; the metathorax posteriorly truncate, nearly as broad as long ; superior wings with one marginal cell slightly appendiculated, and three submarginal cells — the first and second subequal, and the latter contracted towards the mur- XIV. TACHYTES. 89 ginal cell, and receiving both the recurrent nervures — the third lumdate ; the legs moderate, all spinose ; the tarsi longer than the tibiae, the anterior pair ciliated, the bifid claw having a large pulvillus within its fork. Abdomen ovato-lanceolate, subsessile, about the length of the thorax, with the superior surface depressed, and the apex acuminate in the $ , but fur- cate in the $ ; the podex in tlie $ with the disk flat, and the lateral margins reflexed, separated from the hypopygium by a horizontal incision, whence a cylindrical tube is exserted. Type, T. pompiliformis. ti-j- These insects were separated from harra, under the name of Tachytes, by Panzer, in his " Revision," in 1806; lUiger did the same in his edition of the " Fauna Etrusca," in 1 807, but called them " Lyrops ;" Panzer's name conse- quently has the precedence. I fully agree with Latreille in considering that there was scarcely occasion to disunite them, for they are closely linked by exotic species : the name is derived from the rapidity of their motions— rap^urr]?, quick- ness, Sp. 1. POMPILIFORMIS. PaUZ. niger, abdominis basi rufo. length 2^ — 4| lines. V. d. Lind. Obs. pt. 2. p. 22. 5. Larra pompiliformis. Panz. 89. 13 ; Spin. 2. 173. dimidiata. Panz. 106. 13. Black, finely punctured : head with a longitudinal impression extending from the base of the antennse to near the occiput ; the interior margin of the eyes and the clypeus covered with an aurichalceous pubescence ; the apex of the mandibles rufo- piceous. Thorax having the metathorax delicately granulated upon its superior surface, the truncation transversely striate, with a deep fossulet at the centre of its base ; the tegulae testaceous ; the 90 LARRIDA. wings slightly fuscous, the nervures piceous ; legs black, the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated on the outside, and the four pos- terior ones with all the joints spinose at their extremities, and the two or three exterior joints rufo-piceous, the anterior pair of the calcaria rufous, and the intermediate and posterior black. The abdomen having the posterior margin of the segments depressed, and slightly covered with a silvery pubescence, chiefly towards the sides, the two first segments and the base of the third rufous, the latter sometimes entirely red ? . The $ does not differ, with the exception of the metallic pu- bescence being denser, and that but very seldom more than the two first segments of the abdomen are rufous, and the legs less spinose. tit Abundant upon Hampstead Heath. Found at South- end, and in North Wales, by the Rev. F. W. Hope ; at Black Gang Chine, Isle of Wight, and at Barmouth, by Mr. Walker ; in the New Forest, and near Yarm, in York- shire, by the Rev. G. T. Rudd. I have frequently caught it with a small sandy-coloured caterpillar. Sp. 2. uNicoLOR. Panz. ater, immaculatus, abdominis segmentorum marginihus lucidis. length 3 — 4^ lines. Larra unicolor. Fanz. 106. 16. Var, Tachytes pompiliformis. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 22. 0. Atrous : head rather coarsely punctured ; a deep longitudinal furrow extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma, and passing beyond it to the centre of the vertex ; the lower portion of the face, in front, covered by a sericeous pubescence. The thorax loosely punctured ; the metathorax longitudinally striated at its base, which becomes reticulated or subrugose to- wards the verge of the truncation, where the striae are trans- XV. MISCOPHUS. 91 verse ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings fuscous, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the apical joints of the tarsi pi- ceous, the anterior tarsi ciliated, and the intermediate and pos- terior tibiae with a double row of spines on the outside. The abdomen punctured, subpubescent, the margins of the segments depressed, and sericeous on the sides $ . The $ differs in having more of the silvery pubescence, and the apical joints of the tarsi ferruginous. In the Cabinets of Mr. Walker, the Rev. G. T. Rudd, Mr. Curtis, and my own. f If Vander Linden considers this insect as merely a black variety of the T. pompiliformis, but it is certainly dis- tinct, for the third submarginal cell is much narrower than in that insect, in which it occupies but little less than one- third of the marginal cell, not including the appendicula- tion; whereas in the unicolor it does not occupy more than one-seventh of that cell, besides which, the meta- thorax is much more deeply and somewhat differently sculptured. Found at Black Gang Chine, Isle of Wight, by the Rev. G. T. Rudd, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Curtis. 2. Two submarginal cells. Genus XV. Miscophus, Jurine. Head large, seen from above subquadrate, with a depression on each side in front for the reception of the antennae ; eyes oval, distant, very slightly converging ; the stemmata placed high upon the vertex, in an equilateral triangle, the posterior ones far back, nearly in a line with the return of the posterior margin of the eyes ; antennce filiform, inserted at the base of the clypeus ; the scapus obconic, the second joint slightly incrassate, the rest cylindrical, subequal ; the clypeus trans- verse, with the anterior margin reflexed ; lahrum concealed ; the mandibles unidentate, tuberculated within, and having a 92 LARRIDiE. strong tooth on the exterior towards the base. Thorax oval ; the collar considerably lower than the mesothorax ; the scutellum transverse ; the metathorax truncate posteriorly, broader than long ; the superior wings with one marginal cell, ovate, and two submarginal cells — the first receiving the first recurrent nervure near that which separates it from the second submarginal cell, which is triangular and petiolaled, and re- ceiving the second recurrent nervure near its apex ; legs mo- derate, subspinose, the tarsi long, the anterior ones ciliated on the outside. The abdomen subovate, subsessile, the apex pointed, the posterior margin of the segments very slightly depressed. Type, M. bicolor. •flf This genus was first established by Jurine in 1807. It has been adopted by all subsequent authors, and ap- pears to be derived from ixKry^^o?, a petiole or stalk, from the petiole of its second submarginal cell. Sp. 1. BICOLOR. Jurine. niger, abdominis basi rufo. length 3 lines. Jurine, 206. PI. 11. G. 25 ; Latr. Nouv.Dict.21. 212 ; Guerin, Diet. Classique H. N. 10. 632 ; V. d. Lind. Obs. pt. 2. 25. Larra dubia. Panz. 106. 14. Black, delicately punctured : head having the antennae black ; mandibles rufous, a little darker at the apex ; each of the stem- mata placed in a foveolet. Thorax punctured ; the metathorax having on its superior surface a central longitudinal carina, with three or four diverg- ing on each side obliquely from its base, occupying together a subcordiform space, the apex of which terminates at the verge of the truncation, which is transversely striate, and has a deep longitudinal fossulet in its centre ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings slightly coloured, deeper towards the margin ; legs black, XVI. DINETUS. 93 the anterior tarsi ciliated on the exterior, and the posterior tibiae with a few dispersed spines. The abdomen delicately punctured, with the basal segment entirely, and the base of the second, rufous, gradating in the latter towards the margin to piceous ; the remainder black, with their margins piceous, a slight silvery pubescence at the lateral margin of the second and third segments $ . I am unacquainted with the $ of this insect. 5 In the Cabinets of Mr. Westwood, Mr. Stephens, and my own. f-j-f Two specimens of this insect were taken by Mr. Westwood at Coombe, in 1825, and he has again taken this year two or three more, with one of which he has obligingly supplied me. Genus XVI. Dinetus. Jurine. Head transverse, depressed in front, about the width of the thorax ; eyes oval, converging at the vertex ; stemmata placed in a triangle towards the vertex ; antennce filiform in the fe- male, with the first joint incrassate, and larger in the males, with a deep lateral impression, in which sex also the four following joints are submoniliform, the five next slightly compressed, and convolute, and the remaining three filiform, the ten first joints in the male, and all in the female, co- vered with a dense silvery pubescence, as well as the lower portion of the face, and the clypeus, which is transverse, convex, rounded in front ; the lahrum concealed ; the vian- dihles tridentate, with an emargination at the base ex- teriorly. Thorax oval ; collar transverse ; sciitellum trans- verse, small; metathorax truncate posteriorly; superior wings with one marginal cell largely appendiculated, and two sub- marginal cells — the first suhnmrginal oblong, receiving the first recurrent nervure — the second small, triangular, receiving the second recurrent nervure ; the legs moderate, the femorce ob- 94 LARRIDiE. clavate. The abdomen ovate, subsessile, the posterior mar- gins of the segments depressed. Type, D. pictus. f^-f This genus was established by Jurine in 1807 ; it had been previously moved about from genus to genus, according to the peculiar views of the several writers, which tends to prove how very unstable all kinds of subdivisions among these insects were previous to the publication of Jurine's book. The name is from ?»v)jtoj, to move in a circle, I presume from its flight ; but I have not had the pleasure of seeing it alive, therefore I cannot say ; but if such be the case, it resembles Astata in that peculiarity. Sp. 1. pTCTus. Fab. Icev'is, niger, thorace maculato, abdomine ferrugineo fasciis trihus Jlavis, ano nigricante $. fronte Jlavd, antennis cochleattm retortis $ . length 3—3^ lines. Jurine, 209, PI. 11. G. 26; Latr. Nouv. Diet. 9.471; Guer. Diet. Class. 5. 515. Crabro pictus. Fab. E. S. 2. 299. 20 ; Panz. 17. 19 $. 72. 10 $ . ceraunius. Rossi, Mant. 2. App. 123. 11. Sphex guttata. Fab. E. S. 2. 215 . 72. Pomp'ilus pictus. Fab. Piez. 196. 43. guttatus. Fab. E. S. Sup. 252. 34 ; Piez. 196. 44. Larra picta. Latr. H. 13. 296; Spin. 1. 73. 4. Black : head punctured ; base of the mandibles yellow, apex rufo-piceous, and a yellow line at the superior edge of the pos- terior margin of the eyes ; the face and clypeus covered with a silvery pubescence. Thorax punctured ; an interrupted transverse band upon the collar ; the tegulae, the tubercles, and a transverse line at the scutellum, yellow ; the metathorax, with a central slight longi- tudinal impression terminating in a deeper point, with oblique XVI. DINETUS. 95 transverse striae on each side of it, and its superior surface and sides covered with a dense silvery pubescence, converging at the extremity, and enclosing the superficies of the metathorax at the apex ; the wings slightly coloured, iridescent, the nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the apex of the anterior femorse and the exterior of all the tibiae yellow ; the tarsi rufo-testaceous, the basal joints of the intermediate and posterior pairs somewhat darker ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated outside, and all the legs spinose. The abdomen with the three first segments rufescent, the second and third having on their posterior margins on each side a transverse ovate yellow spot, the three following segments black, with the margins of the fifth and sixth yellow. The $ differs in having the whole head yellow with the ex- ception of the vertex, and an angular space descending towards the antennae, and the occipital portion black ; the antennae black, with the first joint yellow, the remainder fulvous beneath ; the coUar entirely, and a point beneath the base of the wings, yellow, as well as all the tarsi and the anterior legs ; the legs more spinose, the silvery pubescence denser, and the wings not quite so deeply coloured ; the abdomen yellow, with the margins of the segments testaceous, the fourth and base of the fifth black, a yellow spot on each side of the former ; the venter piceous. ^ 5 in the Cabinets of the British Museum, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Stephens, and Mr. West- wood. t4.t This insect used to occur at Windsor, where it was taken by the Messrs. Griesbach, since when it has not been found. I know no other English locality. Family VI I. NYSSONID.E. Leach. Mandibles not emarginate beneath. In the form of the abdomen and labrura they resemble the Larridae. 06 NYSSONIDiE. Genus XVII. Astata. Latr. Head large, transverse, compressed, a little wider than the thorax ; the face covered in the $ with a long silvery grey pubescence ; eyes large, oval, converging at the vertex in the 5 , united in the $ ; stemmata forming an equilateral triangle placed low towards the face, and at the angle formed by the union of the eyes in the $ , in which sex they are very closely approximated, and the anterior stemma nearly as large as the posterior two united ; the antennce filiform, inserted at the base of the clypeus, arcuate in the 5 , porrect in the $ , the first joint thick, obconic, the second very small, the third the longest of all, cylindrical, as well as the remainder, which regu- larly decrease in length ; the clypeus transverse, short, slightly reflexed and truncate in front, convex in the centre, and de- pressed on each side ; labrum concealed ; mandibles slightly arcuate, bidentate, with a superior canal running longitudinally and dividing the teeth throughout its whole course, the inner tooth obtuse, the apical one more acute. The thorax ovate ; the collar transverse, slightly advanced in front in the form of a neck ; the metathorax truncated ; the superior wings with one marginal cell, narrow, short, and appendiculated ; and three sub- marginal cells — the first narrow, longitudinal, divided obliquely about its centre by an obsolete nervure that runs from the base of the stigma to the middle of the first transver so-cubital — the second submarginal cell triangular, and receiving both the recurrent nervurcs — the third very distant from the apex of the wing ; the inferior wings very broad, and of considerable expansion in the $ ; the legs moderately long, very spinose in the 5 , particularly the two posterior pairs, less so in the $ ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated on the exterior in the $ , the intermediate and posterior pairs also strongly spined, as well as the plantae above and all the joints on each side below. The abdomen subsessile, somewhat conical, the upper surface much flattened in the $ , its base concavo-truncate, and viewed from above forming an equilateral triangle ; the margins of XVII. ASTATA, 97 the segments very much depressed, and the terminal one hav- ing the margins of its apex reflexed and separated from the liypopygium by a horizontal incision. Type, A. boops. t4-t This genus was established by Latreille, in his " Precis." Its name is derived, from its incessant motion, from « priv. and r«To? — standing, i. e. not standing. Jurine figured the genus in his work, in 1807, by the name of Dimorpha, either from not knowing Latreille's book or not recognising the insect from the characters, and Panzer has followed him in his " Revision ;" but subsequent Ento- mologists have adopted Latreille's name, it having the priority. Sp. 1. Boops. Schrank. atra, abdominis hasi ritfo. length 4 — 7 lines. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 27. Sphexboops. Schrank, Enum. Insect. Austriae indigen. 384. 77 ; Villers, 3.249. 82; Rossi, 1. 128.284. Tiphia abdominalis. Panz. 53. 5. Larra pompiliformis. Donovan, Brit. Insects, 12. 73. PI. 4. Astata abdominalis. Latr. Hist. 13. 297. 1 ; Nouv. Diet. 3. 25 ; St. Farg. Ency. Meth. 10. 144. victor. Curtis, Brit. Ent. 6. PI. 261. Black, punctured, pubescent : the head having the face and cheeks covered with a silvery griseous pubescence, the vertex quite smooth and shining, with a longitudinal impressed line in the centre, and only a few scattered punctures towards the occiput. The thorax having the dorsolum and scutellum smooth and shining, the former being thickly punctured in front, and with a very few points scattered over its disk and behind, as well as the scutellum, the latter frequently with a deep longitudinal impres- sion in its centre ; the post-dorsolum also smooth ; the metathorax reticulated, formed by longitudinal and transverse elevated lines, the former being the most prominent and generally somewhat n 08 NYSSONID^i;. irregular; the wings with the nervurcs black, and having a broad dark band commencing at the end of the marginal and submarginal cells, decreasing in colour towards the apex ; legs robust, pubescent, the extreme joints of the tarsi generally piceous, the anterior pair ciliated on the outside, and the inter- mediate and posterior tibiae and tarsi very spinose. The abdomen with the segments depressed at the margin, and the first, second, and base of the third, red $ . The $ differs in having the dorsolum punctured throughout and the base of the first segment of the abdomen black, the legs less spinose, and the cilia to the tarsi wanting ; and in the colour of the wings, which generally covers the whole space occupied by the nervures, their edges being hyaline, the colour in the $ thus commencing where that of the $ ceases ; some- times, however, the whole wing is hyaline, which I have never observed to be the case in the $ . ^ 5 in most Cabinets, fif I possess a singular variety of the ^ , in which the dorsolum and scutellum are divided by a deep longitudinal central impression. This insect, even long after Mr. Curtis figured it, was a desideratum to many Cabinets. The oldest British specimen known, is recorded by Dono- van to have been taken at Coombe ; it is now in Mr. Stephens' Cabinet. Mr. Westwood has taken a single specimen in the same locality this year. When I first took it at Hampstead I saw a few specimens only. This was in 1832. The next year I discovered its " Metropolis," about a quarter of a mile from where I first caught it, and here it absolutely swarmed, which I have found to be the case ever since. The $ are innumerable compared with the ?, and, whenever I have succeeded in capturing the latter with its prey I have always found it to consist of the larva of Pentatoma bidens, whereas Mr. Curtis took it in the Isle of Wight with the larva of P. prasina ; and my friend Mr. XVIII. NYSSON. 99 F. Smith has captured it this year at Hampstead carrying off JEpeolus variegatus, a little bee which I have myself never observed there — this proves that its larva is sup- plied with a variety of food. It is difficult to detect the 5 burrowing, for, like Ammophila, she selects a cavity already formed, in the interior of which she constructs her burrow free from observation. Their flight is extremely rapid, and the $ settles upon small clods, whence it momen- tarily makes wide circumvolations. Genus XVIII. Nysson. Latr. Head transverse, about the width of the thorax ; face covered with a silvery down ; eyes oval, prominent ; stemmata placed in a triangle on the vertex, slightly elevated ; antennce inserted at the angles of a small elevation at the base of the clypeus, generally slightly increasing towards the apex, with the scape obconic, the second joint subglobose, and the rest regularly increasing in length and thickness from the third to the terminal one, which in some $ is emarginate, and in others seated obliquely upon the penultimate ; the clypeus transverse, rounded anteriorly, and in some having the margin slightly reflexed ; lahrum concealed ; mandibles arcuate, unidentate, and acuminate at their apex. The thorax oval ; the collar transverse, linear ; the scutelliim transverse, lower than the dorsolum ; and the metathorax inclining gradually, having a spine on each side towards its posterior extremity ; superior wings Kith one marginal and three suhmarginal cells — the first suhmarginal considerably longer than the other two — the second petiolated, and receiving both the recurrent nervures — the third forming an elongate hexagon, and distant from the extremity of the wing ; the legs moderately long, and very slender, the tibiee and tarsi densely covered with down. The abdomen subsessile, ovoido-conic, and incurved at its extremity, with its terminal segment furcate in the $ ; the first ventral segment plane, the second very much produced in front, and forming an obtuse angle. Type, N. spinosus. H 2 100 NYSSONID^. f-j-f This genus was established by Latreille, in 1796, in his " Precis," and was subsequently adopted by all Ento- mologists, excepting Fabricius, who, to prove the stability of his characters, shifted the species to and fro from Crabro to Oxybelus and Pompilus. Sp, 1. spiNosus. Fab. niger, antennis j^rope thoracis longitudinem, abdomine fasciis trihusjlavis. length 4^ — SJ lines. Latr. Hist. 13. 305; Nouv. Diet. 23. 160; Oliv. Ency Meth, 8. 408 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2.30. Crahro sfimsus. Fab. S. E. 373. 2 ; E. S. 2. 293 ; Piez. 307 ; Rossi, Mant. 1. 139. 308 ; Panz. 62. 15. Sphei spiiiosa. Villers, 3. 246. 71. Melliniis interrnptus. Panz. 72. 13. Black : head coarsely punctured, pubescent ; apex of the mandibles red ; antennae black, about as long as the thorax. Thorax punctured, pubescent ; collar having a transverse yellow band ; scutellum longitudinally striate ; metathorax rugose ; tegulse black ; wings fuscous, with a somewhat deeper cloud over the marginal cell and exterior edge, nervures piceous ; legs black, entirely simple, with the apex of the femorae, the tibias, with the exception of a black ring around the anterior and intermediate pairs, (sometimes obsolete,) and all the tarsi, red. The abdomen delicately granulated, the first segment deeply punctulate and having an interrupted (sometimes not) yellow fascia towards its margin, a continuous yellow band, attenuated about the centre, near the margins of the two following segments, and the margins themselves piceous. The $ differs in having the clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence, as well as the whole of the underside of the meso- thorax and the coxae ; the collar sometimes without the yellow band, the tibiae with more black, the posterior pair having also a black ring, and sometimes the knees only red, and all the abdominal bands sometimes interrupted. ^ ? in most Cabinets. XVIII. NYSSOK. 101 f 4-f The name of this species is bad, being derived from a generic character, viz. the spines upon the metathorax; but this Fabricius did not know, as he placed it in his magazine Crahro. Although much like the following species, it is readily distinguished from it by its compara- tively greater length of antennse and more slender habit. These are characters which have not been before noticed, and I therefore suspect that there is much confusion in the synonymes ; I have retained them nearly as they were applied by the several authors. It is common in June in many parts ; the $ I once took, in considerable numbers, at Coombe ; the ? I have never found so common as the next species, nor have I taken her with her prey. Sp. 2. iNTERRUPTus. Latr. niger, antenn'is paulo capite longioribus, abdomine fasc'i'is trihus fiavis. length 3|— 4| lines. Latr. Hist. 13. 306. 3 : Nouv. Diet. 23. 161. Nysson scalaris. Hlig. 2. p. 157. Black : head pubescent, punctured ; the clypeus with a silverv down ; antennae a little longer than the head. The thorax punctured, pubescent; collar and tubercles yellow ; a small space at the base of the metathorax regularly striate ; tegulee testaceous ; wings fuscous, their nervures piceous ; legs red, with the coxae, trochanters, and femorae, except their apex, black ; the mesothorax silvery beneath. The abdomen finely shagreened, the two first segments with deeper, dispersed punctures, and the margin of the three first having each a yellow fascia, interrupted in the first and attenu- ated in the centre of the other two ; the fasciae frequently all entire $ . The $ scarcely differs, the silvery pubescence alone of the clypeus and lower part of the mesothorax being denser, and the antenuce somewhat shorter. ^ $ in most Cabinets. 102 NYSSONID^. f If Much doubt has hitherto existed as to the distinction of this from the preceding species. Latreille thinks they are the same, which either shows the confusion of the descrip- tions or else his inabiHty to detect specific differences, for they are exceedingly distinct although very like. The most prominent difference is the comparative length of the antennae. This species also is much more compact than the preceding, and the antennae of the S are shorter than those of the $, exclusive of the minuter differences of colour. In habit it links the iV^. spinosus with the trimaculatus, and I consequently place it between them. Its name is likewise inappropriate, as the bands of the abdomen are more fre- quently continuous than interrupted. I have found it very common at Highgate ; and from not taking it with its prey I am induced to consider it may be parasitic, and perhaps upon a species of Odynerus. The $ I have taken entering holes in the sand, and the $ flying in hedges. Sp. 3. TRIMACULATUS. RoSsi. ater, ahdomine utrinque maculis tribusjlavis. length 3—4 lines. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 30.2. Crabro trimaculatus. Rossi, 2. 95. 892. Nysson maculatus. Illiger, 2. 156. 892. nigripes, Spinola, 2. 45. 36. interruptus, var. Oliv. Ency. M^th. 8. 408. 2. Atrous : head coarsely punctured, pubescent ; antennae black, a little longer than the head ; the face with a slight silvery down ; apex of the mandibles red. Thorax very coarsely punctured, pubescent; the collar, tubercles, a short transverse line at the scutellum, yellow ; the base of the raetathorax longitudinally striate ; the under part of the mesothorax, and the superior surface of the lateral spines of the metathorax, covered with a dense silvery down ; the tegulae black ; wings hyaline, the exterior margin coloured, the nervures XVIII. NYSSON. 103 piceous ; legs black, with the knees, and the extremity of all the joints of the tarsi, rufescent. Abdomen punctured, with the first segment having on each side towards the margin a triangular spot, and the second and third a transverse mark of a bright yellow, the margin of the fourth and of the fifth piceous. The $ differs in having the last joint of the antennae inserted rather obliquely in the preceding one, and being narrower ; the face and clypeus covered with a silvery down ; the collar, tubercles, and scutellum, wanting the yellow marks, and the fourth segment having on each side a small yellow transverse line. In the Cabinets of Mr. Westwood, Mr. F. Smith, and in my own. f~j-f I expect the yellow markings of the thoi'ax are variable, for I have a specimen of a ^ with a central spot on the collar ; but this can only be determined by a multi- tude of specimens, and it is a rather rare species ; it is very distinct from the preceding in form, and is besides smaller. The only place where I take it is Highgate, upon the leaves of brambles, where it alights for a moment, turns itself briskly round, and flies off again. On the wing it is easily taken, but when settling it is rather difficult to be secured, as like Hedychrum, Anohium, and other insects, it mimics death upon the least alarm, and falls down amongst the foliage. Sp. 4. GUTTATUS. Oliv. niger, thorace tnaculato, abdomine punctis sex transversis flams segmentoque primo nifo. length A\ lines. Oliv. Ency. Meth. 8. 409. 7. Black : head punctured, pubescent ; the face with a slight silvery down. 104 NYSSONID^. Thorax coarsely punctured ; the collar, tubercles, and a short line at the scutellum, of a cream colour ; the tnetathorax longi- tudinally striate at its base ; and the upper surface of the lateral spines covered with a dense aurichalceous down ; the tegulae piceous ; wings slightly coloured, their margins more deeply so, and the nervures piceous ; legs red, with all the coxae, and base of the two anterior pairs, black. The abdomen punctured, the first segment red, the remainder black, a small ovate transverse spot on each side of the first segment, and a transverse line on each side of the two following, towards the margin, of a cream colour. $ in the Cabinet of the British Museum. f -j-f This appears to be a very rare species ; it slightly approaches the following in colour, but it is twice as large, exclusive of other differences. Sp. 5. DiMiDiATus. Jurine. niger, abdominis segmento primo rufo, et secundo utrinque macuM transversa alba signatd. length 2 — 3 lines. Jurine, PI. 2, 9. 22 ; Oliv. Ency. Meth. 8. 409. 9 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 33. Black : head punctured ; antennae black ; face with a silvery pubescence ; mandibles rufescent. Thorax punctured, pubescent ; tubercles lacteous ; base of the metathorax longitudinally striate and enclosed in the form of a semicircle by an elevated ridge ; superior surface of the lateral spines with a silvery down; tegulae piceous; wings slightly coloured, darker at the edge, nervures piceous ; legs black, with the anterior and intermediate tibiae and tarsi, and the joints of the posterior tibiae, and apex of the joints of their tarsi, rufo- piceous. The abdomen punctured, pubescent, the margins of the seg- ments slightly constricted ; the first segment, and base of the second, red (sometimes the entire segment is either entirely red XIX. OXYBELUS. 105 or black), the remainder black, with a transverse lacteous line on each side of the second towards the margin (sometimes, but rarely, a minute lacteous spot on each side of the third seg- ment), and the margin of the third, fourth, fifth, and apex of the anal segment, fuscous 5 . The ^ differs in the face having a dense silvery pubes- cence ; the antennae with the last joint bi-emarginate beneath, and having sometimes a lacteous mark within and beneath the first joint, and one (but rarely) on each side of the first segment of the abdomen, as well as a minute one on each side of the third segment, which latter, as well as the mark beneath the first joint of the antennae, is generally deficient. ^ 2 in my own and other Cabinets. f -l-f I captured this species in abundance at Hampstead, in 1833, but neither last year nor this (1835) could I find it in the same locality ; but I took a solitary specimen, in May last, at Highgate. It has also occurred in several other parts of the country. All practical Entomologists are well acquaint- ed with the curious fact of the periodical abundance of certain insects, which are then scarcely seen again for some time. This circumstance is fully confirmed by many insects of this tribe, which in some years are found in profusion, but which are exceedingly transient in their duration. It was in company with Arpactus tumidus that I found the above ; they were also equally abundant and have likewise since disappeared; but 1833 was a year very rich in these insects generally. Genus XIX. Oxybelus. Latr. Head transverse, subglobose, depressed in front, of the width of the thorax ; eyes oval, slightly prominent ; stemmata placed in an obtuse angle upon the vertex, the posterior pair on a line with the hinder margin of the eyes ; the face covered with a silvery pubescence ; anlennce short, arcuate, filiform, or very IOC • KYSSONIDiE. slightly increasing towards the apex, inserted at the base of the clypeus but not approximate, — the scape thickest, elongate, obconic, the second joint very small, also obconic, the third scarcely longer, attenuated at its base, the remainder sub- equal and subcylindrical ; the clypeus transverse, its anterior margin rounded, inflexed at the centre, which gives it the appearance of being emarginate, which is increased by a small process on each side, most conspicuous in the $ , and having a short tubercle in the centre of its base, prolonged in some species into a longitudinal carina, and in the S generally pro- jecting in an aquiline form ; labrum concealed ; mandibles slightly arcuate, acuminate, and having a subdentate process towards the base of the interior. The thorax rotundate ; the collar linear, transverse ; the scutellum transverse, lunulate, having on each side below its posterior margin an incurved squama, which in some species is not separated, but forms a bifid plate ; the metathorax truncated, with a mucro at its base, frequently obtuse, sometimes emarginate at its apex, and canaliculated above, generally resembling the lip of a vessel ; the superior wings with a narrow marginal cell slightly appendiculated, and one submarginal cell confluent with the second disco'idal and receiving the single recurrent nervure ; the legs moderately long and stout ; the anterior tajsi strongly ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibics spinose, the bifid claws having a large pulvillus within their fork. The abdomen ovato-conic, subtruncate at its base : the margins of the seg- ments somewhat constricted ; the apical segment acute in the 5 , and obtuse in the $ . Type, O. lineatus. t-i t This genus, the name of which is doubtlessly from o^u /3sAof, in reference either to the acuteness of its sting or the velocity of its flight, was estabHshed by Latreille, in his Precis, in 1796. It is one of the genera which, for the want of specimens, I am unable to determine the distinction XIX. OXYBELUS. 107 of species with all the accuracy I could wish, from not knowing whether the characters of colour and of the form of the metathoracic mucro are constant. Those which I have described appear to be specifically distinct ; but as indi- viduals, in several genera of these aculeates, take a wide range of variation, I hesitate speaking positively until I shall have had the opportunity of examining numerous specimens. There seems to be but one common species in this country. Sp. 1. uNiGLUMis. Lin. niger, abdominis segmentis tribtis pimctis duobus albis sublate- ralibus, j^^dibus rujis. length 2 — 4 lines. Latr. Hist. 13. 307. 2 ; Nouv. Diet. 24. 312 ; Fab. Piez. 316.2 ; Oliv. Ency. Meth. 8. 595. 8 j V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 35. 5. Vespa uniglumis. Lin. S. N. 951. 18; F. S. 1681 ; Villers, 3. 271. 14; Christ, 246. Crabro uniglumis. Fab. S. E. 376. 12 ; E. S. 2. 300. 23 ; Oliv. Ency. Meth. 6. 518. 34. Black : head punctured, pubescent, an impressed longitudinal line passing from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma, which it surrounds and continues beyond to the centre of the vertex, the lower part of the face covered with a silvery down ; the antennae black, the terminal joints generally fidvous, some- times only beneath. The thorax pubescent, punctured ; the dorsolum with a central and two lateral longitudinal impressed lines, the latter abbre- viated ; the scutellum, and post-dorsolum, with a central longi- tudinal carina, which extends to the base of the mucro ; an incurved short hyaline squama on each side of the posterior margin of the post-dorsolum ; the mucro at the base of the metathorax short, generally obtuse, slightly curved and grooved above, the sides of the metathorax reticulated ; the tubercles generally white ; the tegulse testaceous ; the wings very slightly coloured, 108 NYSSONID*. their nervures testaceous ; the legs with the coxae and femorae black, the tibia; and tarsi ferruginous, their pulvilli piceous, and the knees of the tibiae frequently pale yellow or fulvous, which in the anterior pair extends sometimes in a line down their front; the anterior tarsi ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae with a triple row of spines. The abdomen very delicately punctured and shining ; the first segment with an ovate spot, the two following with a transverse line on each side, and the following two with a band, generally interrupted, of a lacteous colour, frequently obsolete in the last two segments, and sometimes, but rarely, the white markings are entirely deficient in all but the two or three first segments $ . The $ differs in having more of the silvery pubescence on the face ; the tegulae with generally a white spot in front ; the legs with more of the yellow at the knees, the intermediate tibiae frequently marked with yellow on the exterior, and the posterior tibiae with a large brown or black splash on the outside ; and the abdomen with seldom more than the two first segments marked with white, but is sometimes entirely deficient, leaving it quite black. In most Cabinets. -j-4-f This insect is always found where sand abounds ; its prey consists of Diptera, which it has a peculiar mode of carrying by the hind legs the while it either opens the aperture of its burrow or else forms a new one with its anterior pair. Its flight is low, and in skips ; it is very active. Sp. 2. FEROX. N. Sp. niger, argenteo-sericeus, abdomine Jlavo maculato, pedibusjlavis, mucrone metathoracis acuto $ . length 4^ lines. Black : head very pubescent and punctured ; the whole face and cheeks covered with a dense silvery down. XIX. OXYBELUS. 109 The thorax slightly covered with a silvery pubescence ; the dorsolum with a central carina, which traverses it longitudinally and crosses the centre of the scutellum and post-dorsolum, terminating at the base of the metathoracic mucro ; the tubercles yellow, and the incurved squamae at the posterior angles of the post-dorsolum yellow at their base, their apex pale ; the tegulae testaceous, with a yellow spot ; the central mucro acute and canaliculated above ; the wings very slightly coloured, their nervures testaceous ; the legs with the base of the anterior and intermediate, and the whole of the posterior femorae, black ; the apex of the anterior and intermediate femorae, and all the tibiae, yellow, with the exception of the interior of the intermediate pair at their apex, and that portion of the posterior pair, piceous; the tarsi ferruginous, with their first joint at its base yellow. The abdomen punctured, shining, and covered with a slight silvery pubescence, the first segment with an ovate spot, and the three following with a transverse line on each side yellow, the margins of the segments depressed ^ , I am unacquainted with the $ . $ in my own Collection. f-j-f This appears to be a rare species; it was taken some- where in the neighbourhood of London. Sp. 3. NIGRIPES. Oliv. niger, squamisque etiam nigrh, mucrone obtiiso 'mcurvo, abdominis segmento primo punctis duohusflavis. length 3^ lines. Oliv. Ency. Meth. 8. 596. 12. Black : head punctured ; antennae with their apex piceous. Thorax punctured, with the posterior part of the dorsolum having a central longitudinal carina which crosses the scutellum and post-dorsolum and terminates at the nuicro at the base of the metathorax, which is curved, very obtuse, canaliculated no NYSSONIDiE. above ; and the post-dorsolum has on each side an incurved black squama ; wings slightly coloured, the nervures piceous ; the centre of the metathorax has a triangular enclosure which is smooth, its sides rugose ; the legs black, with the inside of the anterior pair fulvous ; all the tarsi piceous, with their extreme joint red ; the anterior tarsi ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae strongly spinose. The abdomen delicately punctured, slightly pubescent, with a transverse ovate spot on each side of the first segment towards the margin, and a transverse line on each side of the second, yellow 5 . I am unacquainted with the $ . 5 in the British Museum. -j--|--|- This is unique in the collection of the British Museum. I cannot learn where it was taken ; it is an old specimen. Sp. 4. BELLICOSUS. Oliv. niger , Jlavo-maculatus, mucrone canaliculato, ad a])icem dilatato et emarginato 5 . length 4^ lines. Oliv. Ency. Meth. 8. 595. 9. Black : head punctured ; antennae with the margins of the joints rufo-piceous ; mandibles testaceous at their base. Thorax punctured, subpubescent ; the scutellum semicircular, with the margins slightly reflexed and having a central longi- tudinal carina ; the mucro at the base of the metathorax curved, grooved above, with the apex dilated and slightly emarginate ; the collar, tubercles, and the bifid squama at the posterior margin of the scutellum, yellow, the latter however more deeply coloured on its edge ; the tegulse testaceous ; the wings slightly coloured, with the nervures piceous ; legs rufo-testaceous, with the coxae and trochanters black, variegated with yellow ; the feraorae, the anterior entirely within, and the remainder with an internal line, and the base of all the tibiae, yellow; the pulvilli black. XIX. OXYBELUS. 1 11 The abdomen delicately punctured, pubescent, with an ovate transverse yellow spot on each side of the first segment, and a transverse yellow line on the sides of the three following $ . I am unacquainted with the $ . In the Cabinet of the British Museum. -j-4-t This is an unique specimen. I cannot learn where it was taken. Sp. 5. ARGENTATUS. Curt. nigerj argenteo-sericeus, thorace ahdomineque Jlavo maculato, pedibus testaceis, viucrone mctaihoracis acuto j . length 4 lines. Curtis, Brit. Entomology, vol. 10. 480. Black, entirely covered with a dense silvery pubescence : head punctured ; antennae with a fulvous spot at the apex of the first joint beneath, as well as the two apical joints entirely ; mandibles rufo-piceous. Thorax with the tubercles yellow, a yellow transverse plate beneath the scutellum, bidentate at its posterior margin ; the central mucro at the base of the metathorax acute, canaliculated above and slightly curved ; the scutellum wanting the central carina ; the tegulse testaceous ; the wings pale, with their nervures testaceous ; the legs rufo-testaceous, with the anterior femorae entirely, and the intermediate femorae beneath, black ; the out- side of the anterior tibiae, and the knees of the intermediate and posterior pairs, yellow. The abdomen delicately punctured ; the two first segments with a large ovate yellow spot on each side, the three following with a yellow band, the first interrupted and the terminal segment piceous. I am unacquainted with the $ . In the Cabinets of the British Museum and of Mr. Matthews. 112 NYSSONID/E. f 4-f Taken near Liverpool, on the opposite shores of the Mersey, by Mr. Matthews; that in the Museum came, I believe, from Devonshire. Sp. G. quatuordecim guttatus. Oliv. niger, flavo-guttatus, miicrone metathoracis brevi ohtuso et emarginato. length 3^ lines. Oliv. EHcy. M6th. 8. 596. 13. Black : head punctured, pubescent ; antennae piceous, with the apex of the basal joint having a fulvous spot, and the joints from the centre to the apex becoming gradually fulvous ; the mandibles yellovi^ at their base, then rufous, and their apex black. Thorax punctured, with a transverse line on each side of the collar ; the tubercles, the tegulee, a spot on each side of the scutellum, two lines running in a curve from the lateral edges of the scutellum to the base of the inferior wings, and two incurved squamae at the posterior margin of the scutellum, all yellow ; the mucro at the base of the metathorax short, obtuse, and emarginate at its apex ; wings slightly coloured, with their nervures brownish ; legs black, with the inside of the anterior and intermediate femorae, and the exterior of all the tibiae, yellow : the tarsi ferruginous. The abdomen delicately punctured, with a transverse yellow spot on each side of the five first segments ; the margin of the third, fourth, and fifth segments rufo-piceous, and the apical segment rufo-testaceous j . I am unacquainted with the ^. 2 in the Cabinet of the British Museum. f-j-f I do not know where this was taken. Sp. 7. NIGRICORNIS, N. Sp. niger, thorace abdominequeJlavomaculato,pedibusJtavis, mucrone metathoracis acuto $ j . length 3^ lines. XIX. OXYBELUS. 113 Head entirely black, punctured, pubescent. Thorax black, punctured, pubescent, with a spot on each side of the collar ; the tubercles, and the squamae at the posterior margin of the scutelliim, yellow ; the mucro at the base of the metathorax acute ; the wings slightly coloured, their nervures rufo-testaceous ; the legs yellow, with the inside of the anterior femora and the upper part of the intermediate and posterior tibiae black ; the tarsi ferruginous, the anterior ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, delicately punctured, the first segment with a large ovate yellow spot on each side, and a transverse yellow line on each side of the three following. The ^ differs in having more pubescence on the face, the inside of the anterior tibiae at their apex ferruginous, and the inside of the intermediate, and posterior, at their apex with a piceous spot, in the latter forming nearly a ring, which on the exterior of the limb is rufo-piceous, and the segments of the abdomen from the second less marked with yellow. ^ $ in the British Museum. •|-|-t I do not know where this species was taken, and for which Mr. Samouelle has given me the name. Sp. 8. NIGRO.ENEUS. N. Sp. niger, jiavo-'piclus, mucrone metathorads aciito, ahdomme nitenie ceneo irradiante $ . length 2— 2J- lines. Black : head deeply punctured ; the face covered with a silvery pubescence ; antennae black, and from the fifth joint beneath fulvous ; the mandibles testaceous, with their apex rufescent. Thorax entirely black, deeply punctured ; the margin of the squamae at the apex of the scutellum pale ; the mucro at the base of the metathorax short, thick, acute, and slightly curved ; the metathorax rugose ; the tegula^ piceous ; the wings iridescent, with their nervures brown ; the legs black ; the outside of the I 114 crabronid;e. anterior and intermediate tibiae entirely, and but half way from the knee downwards in the posterior pair, bright yellow ; the anterior tarsi testaceous, and the intermediate and posterior pairs rufo-piceous. The abdomen black, delicately punctured, shining with an aeneous reflection j a bright yellow transverse ovate spot on each side of the two first segments, and a very minute dot on each side of the third. $ in the British Museum. f If I do not know the locality of these insects. I have seen them only in the British Museum ; the brassy tinge upon the abdomen is peculiarly distinct, and it is from that circumstance, upon my pointing it out, that Mr. Samouelle named them. Family VIII. CRABRONID^. Leach. The head frequently very large. The labrum does not project. The abdomen is either oval or elliptical, or some- times becomes gradually clavate. I. Antennae inserted below the middle of the face. Clypeus short and broad. 1. Eyes emarginate or reniform. Genus XX. — Trypoxylon. Latr. Head transverse, as wide as the thorax ; eyes large, deeply emarginate or reniform ; stemmata placed towards the vertex ; antennce filiform in the $ , subclavate in the $ , inserted at the base of the clypeus, the first joint obconic, the second sub- globose, the remainder cylindrical, very slightly increasing in thickness, more conspicuously so in the $ (or sometimes quite clavate), the terminal joint acuminate or obtuse ; the clypeus XX. TRYPOXYLON. 115 triangular, rounded in front and convex ; the mandibles arcuate, unidentate, acuminate ; the lahnmi concealed. The thorax ovate ; the collar transverse and separated from the dorsolum by a deep suture ; the dorsolum narrowing towards the collar ; the scutellum large, lunulate ; the metathorax obtuse, and much narrower than the mesothorax ; the superior wings with one marginal cell becoming narrower beyond the suhmarginal cell and terminating acutely, and one submarginal cell which receives the recurrent nervure — a second and third submarginal generally slightly traced, as also a second recurrent nervure which is re- ceived at the middle of the second submarginal cell ; the legs slight and short, the anterior tarsi and posterior tihise simple. The ABDOMEN very elongate and clavate, the margins of the segments very much constricted above — that of the first forming a sort of subpyriform node. Type, T. figulus, L. f If This genus, the name of which is from rpwaco, I pierce — ^vXov, wood, was established by Latreille in his *' Precis" from the repository Sphex ; it was adopted by Fabricius, in 1804. Jurine, in 1807, separated and figured the same insect by the name of Apius, from not recognising it by the characters laid down by Latreille. The " His- toire" of the latter, in which the type was described, was indeed published prior to the publication of Jurine's book, but it was then too late for the latter to alter his plates. They are supposed to be parasitic, but the observations under the T. jigulus will show this to be incorrect, at least in its strict sense. Sp. 1. FIGULUS. Lin. atrum, labio segmentorumque marginibus lucidis. length 3^ — 6'^ lines. Latr. Hist. 13. 330; Nouv, Diet. 34. 568 ; Regne Anim. 5. 329; Fab. Piez. 181. 2; Spin. 1.65.1. l2 116 CRABRONIDjE. Sphexfgulus. Lin. 942. 11 ; F. S. 1650; Fab. E. S. 2. 203. 19; Villers,3. 221.4; Christ. 291; Rossi, 2. 93. 810; Schrank, F. B. 2.322.2160; Panz. 80. 16. leucostoina. Schrank, Enum. Auslr. 771. Apiusjigulus. Jurine, 140. PI. 9. G. 8. Entirely black : head opaqvie, finely punctured, with an im- pressed longitudinal line running from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma, the terminal joint of the antennae slightly curved and acuminate, and a silvery pubescence cover- ing the clypeus and cheeks. Thorax opaque, punctured, pubescent ; the scutellum with a slight depression in the centre ; the metathorax with a longi- tudinal central impression obliquely striated on each side, not extending beyond the subcordiform space upon its surface ; the wings slightly coloured, with their nervures black and their ex- treme margin very dark ; legs simple, with a small pulvillus placed between the bifid claws at their apex. Abdomen shining, with the posterior margins of the segments chiefly at the sides covered with a sericeous pubescence 5 . The $ does not differ except in the usual characteristics. ^ $ in most Cabinets. fit This is perhaps the most abundant fossorial insect I am acquainted with, it being always found where there is a wall, paling, or outhouse. St. Fargeau says it is parasitic, and which I supposed to be the case until this year [1835] I captured several 5 conveying their prey, consisting of a spider ; but I still doubt whether the insect makes it own cell. Latreille says not, and I think he is correct, and which confirms the observation of Bergman, for it seems to frequent the cells of other burrowers. St. Fargeau doubts this being the Sphex figulus of Linne, although his descrip- tion perfectly agrees with it; and notwithstanding the French author's objection to the bright margins of the segments of the abdomen, I have never captured a specimen which did XX. TRYPOXYLON. 117 not possess this character. St. Fargeau's may therefore be either another species or a rubbed specimen. Linne's de- scription of its habits is also correct, which is shown above, and that it " nidum argilla claudit" is proved by what I shall mention lower down ; but Bergman must certainly have been placed in a remarkable situation to observe it in its cells, " gucs primo purgat circumroditque, deindefundum argilla obducit." The following anecdote proves also that it is not confined to one kind of prey. Mr. Johnson has detected it frequenting the holes of a post preoccupied by a species of Odynerus, and into which it conveyed a small round ball, or pellet, containing about fifty individuals of a species of Aphis ; this the Odynerus, upon her return, in^ variably turned out, flying out with it, held by her legs, to the distance of about a foot from the aperture of her cell, where she hovered a moment and then let it fall ; and this was constantly the case until the Trypoxylon had sufficient time to mortar up the orifice of the hole, and the Odynerus was then entirely excluded ; for although she would return to the spot repeatedly she never endeavoured to force the entrance, but flew oft" to seek another hole elsewhere : this circumstance leads me to suspect that when the Odyneri burrow in wood they do not form their own cells, otherwise instinct would have led it to make a forcible entry. Previous to having detected the Trypoxylon with its prey I suspected this circumstance might refer to the Pemphredon lugubris, which I know to provide its larvae with Aphides ; but Mr. Johnson assured me it was a Trypoxylon. Sp. 2. AURIFRONS. N. Sp. atrum, aureo-ser'iceum, aniennis fulv'is, abdominis scgmentorum marginibiis ferriigineis i . length 7 lines. 118 CRABRONID^. Black : head deeply punctured ; antennae black, with the second, third, fourth, and fifth joints entirely and the sixth beneath fulvous, and the whole of the face from the emargination of the eyes covered with a dense aurichalceous pubescence, as well as the cheeks, commencing parallely with the pubescence of the face and extending to the base of the mandibles, which are rufescent. Thorax delicately punctured, pubescent; the metathorax having a few delicate transverse striae within a small depression at its base ; the collar, tubercles, an epaulet on each side over the tegulae, and a spot on each side at the base of the metathorax, covered with a dense aurichalceous down, and the lateral edges of the metathorax having an oblong silvery spot inclining inwards towards the point of insertion of the abdomen; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings fuscous ; the legs black, with the anterior and intermediate knees, apex of the tibiae, and tarsi fulvous, the apical joint of the latter somewhat darker. The abdomen having the margins of the segments from the third rufescent, and their base on each side covered with a chalceous pubescence. $ in the Cabinet of the British Museum. f If I have some doubt as to this being a British or even European insect ; but as it is included in the British Col- lection of the British Museum I necessarily describe it. Its history is not known. Should it prove British, it will be a noble addition to our Fauna. Sp. 3. cLAVicERUM. St. Farg. nigrum, antennis clavatis, tarsis pedumque anticorum parte anticd pallide testaceis. length 2^—3^ lines. St. Fargeau, Ency. Meth. v. 10. p. 750. 1. Black, minutely and delicately punctured : the head with an impressed line extending from the anterior ocellus to the con- XX. TRYPOXYLON. 119 fluent depression of the face ; the emargination of the eyes much depressed, and also a channel on each side extending from the base of the antennae to this emargination for the reception of their scape ; these parts, as also the face beneath the antennae and the clypeus, are covered with a silvery pubescence ; the antennae subclavate, the terminal joint short and straight and somewhat obtuse at its apex j the clypeus slightly produced in its centre, which is emarginate ; the mandibles and palpi testaceous, the former black at their extreme base. The thorax has a silvery reflection at its sides ; the base of the metathorax is enclosed, the enclosure divergently striated and having a central longitudinal impression interrupted at the apex of the basal enclosure ; the tegulee testaceous ; the wings very iridescent and clouded towards the margin ; the legs black, with the knees of the anterior femora, front of the anterior tibiae, and the anterior tarsi, testaceous, the two posterior pairs piceous. The abdomen black and shining, and the margins of the three first segments much constricted, with a isilvery pubescence at the base and sides $ . The $ differs only in having the antennae more clavate and obtuse at the extremity, and the knees of the femora being less coloured. ,J $ in my own Cabinet. f 4-t This species I have taken at Hampstead and Da- renth, and a friend of mine has found it at Camberwell. It frequents, like its congener, holes in posts and palings, especially where Heriades campamdarum nidificates. 2. Eyes entire. A. One or two cubital cells complete. a. Mandibles very narrow or toothed at their extremity only ; one recurrent nervure* 120 CRABRONID^. Genus XXI. — Crabro. Fab. Lat. Head very large, subrotund, in some species subquadrate, vertical in front ; eyes very large, subtriangular, with the angles rounded, approximated at the base of the antennae, and very distant at the vertex, which is flat and at right angles with the face ; stcmmata generally placed in the centre of the vertex ; antennce geniculated, inserted at the base of the clypeus, and filiform in the females, in some males subfusiform, with the basal joints (excepting the scape, which is obconic, and the second joint) fornicate and fimbriated within, the apical joints serrated on the exterior — in others some of the joints are frequently emarginate beneath, and in some males they consist apjiarently of only twelve joints ; clypeus transverse, longitudinally carinated in the centre and covered with a metallic pubescence ; viandibles bidendate, the inner tooth the largest and projecting considerably beyond the external one, both obtuse, and a dentate process towards the base within, in others merely unidentate. Thorax ovate ; collar linear • transverse ; scutellum lunulate ; metathorax very short, obtuse, with a subquadrate or subcordiform enclosure at its base, sometimes obsolete ; superior wings with one marginal cell slightly appendiculated, and one submarginal cell very long and receiving towards its extremity the single recurrent nervure ; legs short and robust, generally very spinose ; tarsi longer than the tlblcc, the first pair of which in some males are dilated into a concavo-convex plate. Abdomen subsessile, lanceolate or subclavate; in some the first segment prolonged into a kind of petiole and in others distinctly petiolated, the petiole constituting the first segment, which is subpyriform and nodose at its extremity. Type C. cribrarius. Lin. t4'f The name Crabro is that of the hornet in Pliny. Fabricius first established it as a genus in his Systema Entomologia in 1775, but as usual it was a heterogeneous repository until Jurine's system was introduced. It is XXI. CRABRO. ; i '"; ;'•, ^21 certainly the most eccentric genus amongst the fossorial Hymenoptera ; it varies in habit so very much from the type that, exclusive of the generic character of the wings, there is nothing to hold it together ; but this is amply sufficient. British Cabinets had separated my section B. of the synopsis of the species from the rest, by the name of Rho- palian ; but as it difters in nothing but the subpyriform petiole of the abdomen, and to which we have a connect- ing link in the C. dimidiatus, I reject it. The arrangement by colour is preserved only on account of its bringing the larger species together, but it certainly is not that of their affinities ; nor even will my synopsis of the species reduce them to this order, as it is wholly artificial and constructed solely for the purpose of arriving readily at their descrip- tions : but they are so exceedingly anomalous that they will not at all armnge in a consecutive series. St. Fargeau has divided the species with which he was acquainted into eleven genera, nine of which we possess ; but as I do not consider the characters he has selected to establish them of generic value, I have reduced them to synonyms, but which will show where they can be applied. His generic divisions do not always correspond with their characters, and these errors I have pointed out wherever they occur in British species. But it will perhaps be expected that I should show better reasons for wholly rejecting all the genera he has introduced. The most pertinent is to be found in my admitting merely the neuration of the wings as a generic character. Yet of those derived from the errors of his system I will cite a few in justification, and refer for the rest to the synonyms and observations under each species — thus, the sexes of my C. Lindenius would be separated and placed under his Ceratocolus and Solenius. The only tangible characters whereby he separates his genera 1-^3 caABRONID^. Coryno'pus and Physoscelus are, by the former genus having in the $ apparently twelve joints to the antennae, and the $ having the anus somewhat canaliculated and acuminate, and in the latter genus the $ having thirteen joints to the antennae, and the $ with the anus convex above, and of the ordinary form : but the $ in the former has certainly thirteen joints to the antennae like the latter; and I would ask, if a slight divarication in the form of the anus be suf- ficient to constitute a generic difference ? if so, the C poda- gricus ought certainly not to have been placed by him in his genus Crossocerus, from which it differs materially in the form of that part, and, with my C. capitoms, in general habit approximates to these two species. But it is extremely irksome to find fault, and I therefore close my remarks with doing him the justice to retract what I have said at page eight of the Introduction relative to the an- tennae of some Crahrones, as the $ C. vagus and $ C. Lindenii have apparently but twelve joints, for I could not discover a thirteenth even with the assistance of my friend Mr. Bowerbank's very powerful microscope. This ano- maly is exceedingly remarkable, and is at variance with what is observed in all the others of the fossorial Hyme- noptera. St Fargeau incorrectly considers the type to be the C. cephalotes, Pz., of which Fabricius, who is the author of the genus, first takes notice in his " Systema Piezatorum ;" and my observations under this insect may be referred to with regard to his confusion of the synonymy. I must further observe, that, to avoid unnecessary repetition in the specific character, it will be understood, that the stemmata are placed in an equilateral triangle, and the clypeus is covered with a silvery pubescence unless other- wise stated. XXI. CEABKO. 123 SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES.* A. Abdomen subsesiile or but slightly petiolated. I. Anterior libix $ scutellate. I. a. Antenn8i lines. Fab. S. E. 374. 6} Spec. 1. 470. 8 ; Mant. 1. 296. 13 ; Ent. Sys. 2. 297. 14; Piez. 311. 16; Panz. 15. 18 ^. 19 $ ; Latr. H. N. 13. 323. 1 ; Nouv. Diet. ed. 2. 8. 353 ; Dumeril. Consid. Centrales, PI. 31. f. 3; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 40. 1. Crabro patellarius. Schrank, F. B. 2. 330. 2174. palmatus, Panz. 46. 3. Sphex eribraria. Lin. F. S. 1675 ; S. N. 1. 945. 23 ; Vill. 3. 234. 34 ; Schrank, Enum. Austriae, 779. patellaria, Schreb. Naturforscher, 20. 95. 1. Guepe ichneumo7i. De Geer, 2. 2. 810. 2. PL 28. f. 1—5. $. Thyreopus cribrarius. St, Farg, An. S. E. de F. 3. 752. 1. Head black, pilose : the stemmata placed in a curve a little behind the centre of the vertex, which is irregularly concave, longitudinally striated in front and punctured behind ; the face slightly canaliculated ; the antennae black ; the scape sometimes with a little yellow towards the apex behind and very pilose ; the inner orbit of the eyes below and the clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence. The thorax black, pilose ; the collar smooth and shining, with a few scattered punctures ; the dorsolum longitudinally striated, with a central and two lateral slight longitudinal carinas which become obsolete on the disk ; the scutellum shining and having a few scattered punctures ; the metathorax has at the centre of its base a small triangular space, shining and rugose, the apex of which continues in a longitudinal incisure, dilating about the middle into a fossulet and separating the metathorax into two halves, the sides of which are irregularly longitudinally striated ; the collar with an interrupted band and a spot on the front of the scutellum yellow, the latter sometimes wanting ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings hyaline and darkish towards the margin ; the legs yellow with the femora black, and a black spot beneath the XXI. CRABRO. 127 anterior tibiae ; the tarsi with their apical joints flavo-ferruginous, the anterior pair ciliated on the exterior, and all the tibiae spinose. I'he abdomen ovate, black, with five yellow bands ; the second ndore or less interrupted, the third consisting of an ovate trans- verse spot on each side, the rest generally entire $ . The ^ differs in having the clavolet of the antennae subfusi- form, their first five joints concave below, the fifth and three following serrated on the exterior, and the first and second fimbriated within ; the collar longitudinally striated, generally entirely black, as well as the scutellum ; the anterior trochanters produced beneath at their apex into an obtuse tooth, their femora compressed, irregularly dilated behind and having at their base a long broad irregular process convex above, with a transverse ridge below just beyond its middle, between which and the apex it is transversely concave, the apex itself obliquely truncated, and at the base below, in front, a long narrow spine ; the anterior tibiae dilated behind into an ovate concavo-convex plate; the tibiae with a black or piceous litura at the knee, in front yellow, the plate of a slate colour, fusco-piceous towards the exterior margin, and the margin itself testaceous, the superficies sprinkled with pale dots ; their tarsi also dilated, the first irregularly tri- angular and concave above, and the whole tarsus longitudinally carinated below towards the front, the apical joint having the pulvillus placed near the exterior claw ; the interior claw very eccentric and considerably larger than its companion, its base below produced into a broad flat fornicate appendage, the basal joint rufo-testaceous, the rest piceous ; the intermediate femora flattened within and slightly dilated at their base behind ; the abdomen, which is subcylindrical, curved downwards at its apex, has seven yellow bands, the second and third interrupted, and the second the broadest of all and least interrupted, the fourth being the narrowest, forming merely a transverse waved line, the band on the first segment sometimes but very rarely wanting. ^ $ in most Cabinets. t4't Abundant in most sandy districts in May and June, 128 CRABRONID^E. and in some parts as late as August ; the 5 is generally captured entering her burrows, and the $ either in company or settling on the leaves of plants, or both are found on UmhellifercB. Sp. 2. PATELLATUs. Panz. niger, Jlavo-maculaius, stemmatibus m lineam curvam positis, dorsolo punctata J . antennis subfusiformis, tibiarum scutello obscuro, punctis lineisque hyalinis $. length 4^ — 6 lines. Panz. F. G. 46. 4 ; V. d. Lind. Pt, 2. 43. 3. Crabro dentipes. Panz. F. G. 46. 9 $ . peltarius. Schr. F. B. 2. 336. 2185. Thyreopus paiellatus ^ $ . St. Farg. An. d. 1. S. Entom. de F. 3, 756. 3. Head black, pubescent, minutely punctured, the vertex irregu- larly concave ; the stemmata placed in a curve beyond its centre behind ; the face smooth, shining, and canaliculated ; the antennae black, with the scape beneath yellow ; the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus, which is carinated in its centre, covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles yellow or yellow- testaceous at the base ; piceous or rufo-piceous at their apex. The thorax black, subpubescent ; the dorsolum and scutellum shining, with scattered delicate punctures ; the metathorax with a deep longitudinal incisure, somewhat wider at its base ; the anterior half of the metathorax obsoletely enclosed in a semi- circle, which is reticulated and shining, the posterior portion smooth and shining, with scattered punctures ; the collar with a mark on each side ; the tubercles and the scutellum in front, sometimes yellow, but more frequently black ; the tegulee testaceous ; the wings slightly fuscous, the edge darker and their nervures testaceous ; the legs yellow, with their femora black, and the anterior and intermediate tibiae black beneath, the posterior pair ferruginous at their apex within ; the tarsi having XXT. CRABRO. 129 •their basal joints yellow and the rest ferruginous, getting darker towards the apex ; the anterior tarsi strongly ciliated and all the tibiae very spinose. The abdomen elongate-ovate, the first segment narrowed into a petiole at its base, with five yellow bands variously interrupted, the second and third (the first of whicli is the broadest, and the last the narrowest of all) generally most, tlie fourth and fifth fre- quently entire ; the apex of the anus ferruginous ? . The $ differs in having the clavolet of the antennae stibfusi- form, its first six joints concave beneath, the seventh to the tenth serrated on the exterior, and the five first fimbriated within ; the thorax with seldom any yellow markings ; the sculpture of the metathorax much stronger, its posterior portion generally trans- versely striate : the anterior coxae produced at their apex into a long acute tooth ; their trochanters flat beneath ; their femora dilated posteriorly, flat and having at their base beneath a long curved spine ; their tibiae dilated posteriorly into a concavo- convex sublobate plate ; the tarsi dilated, the first joint concave above, the apical joint produced within into a compressed plate, the apex below obsoletely bidentate, within emarginate, and above having a long curved spine ; the trochanters and femora yellow, the latter black in front ; the tibiae yellow in front, with a black stripe behind, their plate slate-coloured behind, where it has some abbreviated transverse pale striae and maculae, and piceous in front : their tarsi testaceous ; the intermediate coxae and trochanters yellow ; the femora yellow before and behind, black above and below, with the rest like the ? . ^ $ in most Cabinets. f4't Both sexes abundant in the spring in sandy situ- ations ; the $ is generally found settling upon the leaves of bushes or shrubs. Sp. 3. scuTATCs. Fab. niger, clypeo jiavo-maculato, metathoracis basi obliqu^ striatOf peristethii apick denticulato j . ^ autennis fiUformis^ tibiarum sculello albo apick nigro; length 3 — 4 lines< ^30 CRABRONIDi^ Fab. Mant. 1. 296. 15 ; Ent. Sys. 2. 298. 16 ; Piez. 312. 19 ; Panz. F. G. 15.22; Oliv.Ency.Mah.6.515. 17; V.d. Lind. Pt. 2. 44. 5. $. Sphei palmaria. Schreb. Naturforscher, 20. 100. 6. Pt. 2. fig. 9. a, b. Crnssocerus scutatus. St. Farg. 3. 764. 1. ^ . gonager. St. Farg. 3. 785. 22. ?var. $ The head black, delicately punctured, subpubescent, a longi- tudinal impression extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma and continuing behind as far as the posterior ones; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle on the vertex ; the antennae simple, black, the scape yellow, excepting a narrow piceous stripe above ; the inner orbit of the eyes and clypeus covered with a silvery pubescence, the latter carinated in the centre and entirely yellow; the mandibles and lower portion of the cheeks also yellow, the former ferruginous at their apex. The thorax delicately punctured ; the metathorax having a cruciform impression, consute within, dilating at its base (the extreme base of the metathorax) into an impressed triangle longitudinally striated, the subcordiform space between it and the transverse line that forms the cross, shining, convex on each side, and obliquely striate on its lateral edges, the posterior portion of the metathorax smooth, shining, or very slightly transversely striated ; the apex of the peristethium armed on each side with a minute tooth ; the collar with a transverse line, the tubercles, a large lunule below, the neck beneath, the scu- tellum in front, and the pectus all yellow; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings slightly coloured, darker towards the edge, the nervures piceous ; the legs yellow ; the anterior tibiae dilated into an ovate concavo-convex plate, covered with a short whitish pubescence, yellow on its anterior margin, its anterior apex with a piceous lunule and posteriorly pale and transparent ; the first joint of the tarsi also dilated into a narrow lobe, which is black, and the extreme joints piceous ; the intermediate femora and tibiae piceous within ; the posterior coxae black at the base, the femora entirely black, their tibiae also black except their base, and their tarsi piceous, with the base of the first joint yellow. XXI. CRABRO. isi The abdomen black, oblong, curved downward at the apex, the first segment narrowing considerably anteriorly $ . The J differs only in wanting the yellow colour upon the cheeks ; and the base of the coxae (their extreme apex is fus- cous), the trochanters and femora are black ; it has no yellow on the scutellum itself, but only a transverse line behind it, and the two or three basal joints of the tarsi are pale ; in all other respects it is like the ^ . ^ 5 in my own Cabinet and that of the Rev. G. T. Rudd. f 4,t I captured both sexes at Birchwood this year in the beginning of August ; the $ does not appear to have been before known, for that described as such by Van der Linden is different. Sp. 4. CETRATUS. N. Sp. niger, tihiarum scutello parvo nigro, margine albo $ . length 3f — 4 lines. Entirely black and shining, sparingly punctured and pubescent: the head with an impressed line in front of the anterior stemma extending to the sulcation of the face, and another behind it proceeding a little beyond the posterior ones ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle ; the clypeus (which is entire) and inner orbits of the eyes covered with a silvery pubescence ; the first few joints of the flagellum of the antennae ciliated be- neath. The angles of the prothorax rounded : the metathorax gibbous without a distinct enclosure at its base, and having a central longitudinal consute incisure, and the lateral lobes irregularly slightly obliquely striated ; the anterior tibiae and first joint of the tarsi dilated externally, with a pale margin ; the calcaria of the posterior legs sometimes fuscous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, with the apical half somewhat clouded. K 2 13S CRABRONID.'E. The abdomen with tlie centre of the segments somewhat thickened, and the last curved downwards $ . $ In my own Cabinet and that of Mr. Chant. t4-i' This very distinct and, as far as I can discover, un- described species, has occurred in the vicinity of London. The $ I am unacquainted with. It will not come into any of St. Fargeau's genera. Sp. 5. vExiLLATus. Panz. niger, capite iriqiietro, ahdomine fiavo maculato, antennis jili- Jbrmis $. length 4 lines. Panz. F. G. 46. 5 ; lUig. Faun. Etr. 2. p. 149 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 45. 6. Crabro clypeatus. Fab. Mant. 1. 296. 14 ; Ent. Syst.2. 297. 15 ; Piez. 312. 18; Rossi, F. Etr. 2. 90. 880; Oliv. Ency. Meth. 6. 515. 16; Latr. Hist. Nat. 13. 323. 2 ; Nouv. Diet. 2 ed. 8. 358. Apis clypeata. Schreb. Naturforsch. 15. PI. 3. fig. 19, 20. Thyreus vexillatus. St. Farg. 3. 762. 1. Head black, deeply punctured, pubescent, narrower than the thorax, triangular above and at the sides, ovate in front, and forming a neck behind ; a longitudinal depression extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma ; the an- tennae black, with the scape and pedicel yellow in front; the clypeus and the inner orbits of the eyes covered with a silvery pubescence, which extends to near the vertex. Thorax ovate, deeply punctured, prolonged very much in front and narrowed, forming with the collar a truncated triangle ; the scutellum less distinctly punctured and shining ; the meta- thorax truncated, the centre having a deep longitudinal impres- •sion ; the tubercles yellow ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings fuscous ; the legs yellow with a black spot on the outside of the anterior and intermediate femora, the posterior femora also black .inside, and the interior of their tibiae of a fuscous brown ; the anterior tibiae slightly dilated on the exterior, as well as the three XXI. CKABRO. 133 first joints of the tarsi, the first especially, which forms a subro- tund concavo-convex plate slightly coloured on the margin. The abdomen black, ovate, punctured, with seven yellow bands, the first, second, third, and fourth slightly (the second the least) interrupted, the rest entire ; the second ventral segment with a quadrate yellow spot, and the third with a yellow band ^. ^ In the collection of the British Museum. f-j-f The $ of this species does not seem to be known ; that considered as such, viz. the C. philantlioides, Panz., by him in his Kritische Revision, and by Van der Linden, I with St. Fargeau much doubt as being possible. The $ which I know as British, only from the specimens in the British Museum captured by Dr. Leach, appears to be either very local or very rare ; the former the most pro- bable. Fabricius mistook this for the Sphex clypeatus of Linne, which is different. Sp. 6. TABSATUS. N. Sp. niger, tarsis anticis palmatis, metathorncis hasi oblique striata S . length 2^ lines. Head black, smooth, and shining, with a few minute scattered punctures, a deep longitudinal impression extending from the base of the antennae to the anterior stemma, behind which it passes to a little beyond the posterior ones ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle on the vertex ; the antennae simple, fimbriated beneath, black, the scape yellow on the outside ; the clypeus (which is carinated in the middle), inner orbit of the eyes, and lower portion of the cheeks, covered with a sericeous pubescence ; the mandibles black. The thorax black, delicately punctured and shining ; the dorsolum with three abbreviated parallel slightly elevated longi- tudinal lines at its base ; the metathorax having a cruciform im- pression, consute within, dilating at the base of the cross oe 154 cuabronid^. extreme base of the metathorax into an impressed triangle, which is longitudinally striate, the subcordiform space between it and the transverse line that forms the cross convex on each side, and obliquely striated at the base of the posterior portion of the metathorax — the longitudinal line dilates into a deep fossulet, on each side whereof it is deeply transversely striate ; the apex of the peristethium armed on each side with a minute tooth ; the collar with a transverse interrupted line, and the scu- tellum with a lunule, both yellow ; the tegulae piceous, and the ligament at the base of the wings yellow ; the wings iridescent, with a darkish cloud towards their apex, the nervures piceous ; the anterior legs yellow, with their coxae and trochanters black, and a line on the exterior of their femora and tibiae and at the apex of the tibiae within also black ; their tarsi whitish, the first joint dilated on the exterior into a half-heart shape reversed, and the following triangular, the four first covered with a silvery pubescence and the first joint with a black patch towards its ex- terior margin, the last joint also black ; the four posterior legs black, with their knees and lower portion of their tibiae yellow ; the tarsi of the intermediate pair whitish, with the apex of the two first joints and the whole of the last black, the posterior tarsi black, with the base of the first joint whitish. The abdomen oblong, black, minutely punctured, and having a slight griseous pubescence, the first segment gradually narrowed at its base into a petiole. $ $ in my own Cabinet. j-4't I ^^^^ unacquainted with the $ of this species. The sex described is very like what Van der Linden and St. Fai'geau consider the Sphex palmipes of Linnaeus ; but mine sufficiently differs from the insect described by the former by having the base of the metathorax striated : nor does he notice the minute tooth on each side of the peristethium, which this has in common with several species. I have captured it at Highgate settling on the leaves of the burdock and other plants*. XXI. CR.ABRO. 135 Sp. 7. CEPHALOTES. Fab. itiger, JJavo-macu/atus, clijpeo aurato, mctathorace rugoso, tibiis intermediis Jlavis $ $ . ^ articuUs antennnnim subtus cmarginatis. length 5i — 7 lines. Fab. Piez. 308. 5. $ ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 55. 13. (J $ ; St. Farg. 3, 697. 1. ^ $. Panz. F. G. 62. 16. $ ! Crahro seicinctus. Y. d. Lind. pt. 2. 145. 13. ^ J. Panz. F. G. 64. 13. ^ ? Head black, large, subqtiadrate, minutely and closely punc- tured, pubescent, slightly shining ; the vertex between the eyes concave ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in its centre, an ele- vated longitudinal ridge between the posterior ones, having a central delicate longitudinal impressed line extending nearly to the occiput, a slight carina in front of the anterior one passing to the verge of the vertex ; the antennee black, with their scape entirely yellow ; the face deeply canaliculated, smooth, and on each side the orbits of the eyes within, the clypeus (which is strongly carinated in the centre, emarginate in front, and bisinuate on each side), and the lower sides of the cheek, covered with a dense golden pubescence, less thickly set on the latter ; the mandibles yellow, with their apex piceous. Thorax black, pubescent, the dorsolum with a central longi- tudinal slight carina, thickly and rather delicately longitudinally striated ; the scutellum smooth and shining at its base, then punctured and posteriorly longitudinally striate ; the metathorax with two or three longitudinal slight carinas, the interstices of which are smooth, and which dilate, forming a small diamond shaped inclosure about its middle, the sides of the whole length of these carina rather delicately reticulated, the extreme posterior portion transversely striate, the anterior half separated in the form of a semicircle by an obsolete ridge ; the peristethium longitudinally striated at its base and sides ; its posterior ex- tremity covered with scattered punctures and shining, and having i'jG CRABRONIDyi:. on each side a very short transverse elevated carina ; the collaf with a transverse interrupted band, and the tubercles, yellow ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings slightly coloured, their nervures testaceous ; the legs with their femora black, the extreme apex yellow, as well as the tibiae, the anterior pair of which are below black, and the extreme apex of all rufo-testaceous ; the tarsi rufo-piceous, deepening in colour towards their apex, and their basal joints yellow, the anterior pair very slightly ciliated, the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, with five yellow bands, and the anus, yellow, and all but the fifth more or less interrupted, the second and fourth generally least so, and sometimes all entire, yet slightly attenuated in the middle, and the first waved anteriorly ; the sides of the obtuse canaliculated spine that terminates the abdomen furnished with rigid golden setae. The $ differs in the antennae, which are formed nearly as in the $ of the 9th species ; the scape has a black spot above the pedicel, yellow below, and the whole of the clavolet fuscous be- neath, as also its apical joints above excepting the extreme joint, which is entirely black ; the pedicel slightly produced on the exterior ; the third joint smaller than the fourth and both pro- duced into an obtuse tooth at their extremity, the latter slightly so at the side of its base, both much curved and concave beneath, the fifth and sixth also curved, the tooth of the fifth as large or larger than that of the fourth but more acute, and that of the sixth most acute of all, the following cylindrical and equal ; the clypeus produced in front and obtuse, sinuate on each side ; the pubescence of the face the same as in the $ ; the sculpture of the thorax more strongly marked ; the yellow band of the collar sometimes reduced to a mere spot on each side, sometimes wanting entirely ; the tubercles also sometimes black ; the an- terior femora of a yellowish red above and within, which behind is succeeded by a black stripe, that followed by a yellow, which has another black one below it ; their tibiae rufescent in front, yellow above and a black stain behind ; the intermediate femora XXI. CRABUO, IS7 rufo-flavous above and in front, and black behind and beneath ; their tibiae yellow in front with sometimes a black spot, a black line above and rufescent behind and below, the posterior ones the same as in the ? , except a reddish yellow stain towards the apex of the femora above ; the anterior tarsi pale yellow, ferru- ginous at their base, their apical joint more deeply coloured, the intermediate pair flavo-rufous, and their basal joint produced a little on the outside towards the apex, and at the margin of this process armed with robust spines, the posterior pair entirely rufo- piceous. The abdomen subclavate ; it has an additional band to that of the $ , and all as variously interrupted. <5 $ in most Cabinets. -f--l--i- Panzer evidently had two species (see my observa- tions under C. Lindenius) in view in describing this, for he distinctly figures a 2 and implies its being the $ in the description, having mistaken the colour of the clypeus as sexual. The two species are in fact extremely alike unless closely examined, and then it is found that besides the clypeus the position of the stemraata gives a difference. It is not so common as many of the species. I have found it at Caenwood near Hampstead, and at Birchwood in Kent ; I suspect it nidificates in putrescent wood. Sp. 8. sExciNCTus. Fab. n'lger, Jlavo-macutatus, metathoracis hasi rugoso, antennarum articulis subtiis emarginatis $ . length 5 lines. Fab. S. Ent. 374, 5 ; E. S. 2. 295. 9 ; Piez. 309, 10 ; Oliv. Ency, INUth. 6. 513. 11 ; Panz. F. G. 64. 13 ; St. Farg. 3. 703. 6. Head black, pubescent, subquadrate, minutely and closely punctured, the stemmata placed in a triangle in the centre of the vertex, which is concave between the eyes, in the centre of which there is a very delicate sliglitly elevated line, extending 158 CRABRONID^E. from the anterior steitima to the face behind ; between the pos- terior stemmata it is slightly elevated, in the centre of which there is a minute longitudinal impression, proceeding to near the occiput, the face canaliculated, smooth and shining ; the an- tennee black, the scape yellow, with a black stain above, and the pedicel yellow beneath, and slightly produced on the ex- terior ; the first, second, third, and fourth joints of the clavolet produced beneath at the apex, and much curved, or rather emarginate, the teeth beneath of the first and second the most obtuse, its first joint shorter than its second, which is also slightly produced at its base above, the fourth joint very slightly shorter than the third, and its tooth the most acute of all ; the whole clavolet fuscous beneath, and the apical joints also above, with the extreme one quite black ; the interior of the orbit of the eyes, the cheeks, and the whole clypeus, covered with a dense silvery down, the latter carinated in its centre, produced in front into an obtuse tooth, and the sides sinuate ; the man- dibles black, their apex piceous. The thorax black, pubescent ; the dorsolum with a central longitudinal carina, and, as well as the scutellum, longitudinally striate ; the metathorax with a central incisure, the margins of which are ridged, which ridges, about the middle, curve round on each side, each inclosing a lobe ; at the base of the meta- thorax, the inner space of which is slightly rugose, the incisure dilates, where the ridges turn off, into a deep fossulet, continu- ing to the apex, the sides of which, forming the posterior por- tion of the metathorax, are very coarsely transversely striate ; the peristethium has at its apex, on each side, a transverse carina ; the collar with sometimes a transverse yellow interrupted band ; the tegulae testaceous, the wings coloured, darker towards their edges ; the nervures piceous. The anterior femora ferruginous above and in front, black behind, yellow beneath, and, still deeper below, a black stripe ; their tibiae yellow above and in front ; towards the apex, in front, ferruginous, and black behind ; the intermediate femora black, with a ferruginous streak above ; XXI. CRABRO. 139 their tibiae yellow in front, somewhat ferruginous beneath, and black behind ; the posterior femora entirely black, with some- times a slight yellow streak above ; their tibiae yellow above and in front, ferruginous behind, and with a black litura ; the anterior and intermediate tarsi flavo-rufescent, their apical joint piceous, and the first joint of the intermediate pair produced on the outside towards the apex, and its margin armed with robust spines. The abdomen elongate, black, with six yellow bands vari- ously interrupted ; the second generally the widest, and the fifth almost always entire ^ . I am unacquainted with the ? . $ in my own Collection. t4't This I consider to be most probably an accidental variety of the S of the preceding, notwithstanding the differently coloured pubescence of the clypeus ; and if it should prove so, the synonymy must stand as Van der Linden has given it. My specimens differ from St. Far- geau's merely in the mandibles v^^anting the yellow spot, the tubercles being black, and the tibiee being slightly stained behind, all of which are variable characters, as is sufficiently evinced in the series I have of the preceding species. It appears to be rare ; I have hitherto taken only two specimens, and those near Hampstead. Sp. 9. XYLURGUS. N. Sp. mger,Jlavo-maculatus, clypeo aurato ( ^ argentato), vietathorace nigoso, stemmatihus in Hneam curvam positis. ^ antennarum art'iculo tertio ad sextuvi subtils emarginatis. length 3f — 5| lines. ? Crabro fossoriiis. Y. d. Lind. pt. 2. 51. 10. (The description without the synonymes.) Head black, large, subquadratc, minutely and densely pimc- 140 crabronid.t;. tured ; the stemmata placed in a curve on the vertex ; be- tween the posterior ones a slight longitudinal elevation, which has in its centre an impressed line passing backwards a little behind them ; the forehead, which is concave, has a very slight central longitudinal carina ; the face is canaliculated ; the an- tennae black, with their scape yellow ; the clypeus (which is longitudinally carinated in the centre, slightly emarginate in front, and sinuated on each side), the inner orbit of the eyes, and the anterior portion of the cheeks, covered witli a dense golden pubescence, the cheeks less thickly so ; the mandibles yellow at the base, and black at the apex. The thorax black, pubescent ; the dorsolum having at its base three longitudinal parallel slightly elevated lines, an abbre- viated scratch on the disk on each side, parallel with the base of the tegulae, and minutely and densely punctured in front ; behind, as well as the scutellum, longitudinally striate, with interspersed punctures ; the metathorax with a longitudinal cen- tral incisure, the edges of which are elevated, and the interior consute, with about its centre a transverse slight ridge, another diverging on each side, from this, in a curve upwards, enclosing a subcordiform space, occupying the anterior half of the me- tathorax, which is rather irregularly obliquely striated, between the transverse and curved ridges irregularly reticulated, and the sides of the incisure of the posterior portion of the meta- thorax coarsely transversely striated ; the peristethium punc- tured, shining, and having on each side, posteriorly, an abbre- viated transverse carina ; the collar with a transverse yellow interrupted line, and the top of the tubercles yellow ; the te- gulae piceous ; the wings hyaline, coloured at their edges ; the nervures piceous ; the legs yellow, with all the femora black, ex- cepting at the knees in the intermediate pair ; the anterior and intermediate tibiae black beneath, the anterior and posterior ones with a fuscous line within, and all having their extreme apex fuscous or piceous ; all the tarsi with the basal joint yellow, the following ones more or less so, or ferruginous, and the apical XXI. CRABRO, 141 ones piceous ; the anterior tarsi ciliated, and all the tibiae spi- nose. The abdomen black, ovate, with five yellow bands more or less interrupted, the second generally least so, frequently en- tire, the fifth always entire, and the third seldom or never, but formed generally of two ovate transverse spots ; the terminal segment black, produced into a groved obtuse spine, on each side of which it is covered with rigid golden setae. The $ differs in having the underside only of the scape yellow, the pedicel and two following joints fuscous beneath, and the 3 — Gth joints emarginate, and each produced into a tooth at the apex, the third joint shorter than the following, and most slender of all, the division between it and the following to be observed under a high power, the fourth much curved below, concave, and the largest, when viewed laterally much swollen in the centre, the following joints gradually decreas- ing in length, but the five last subequal and cylindrical ; the clypeus, interior orbits of the eyes, and lower portion of the cheeks, densely covered with a silvery pubescence ; mandibles entirely black ; the punctures of the base of the dorsolum interspersed with longitudinal strise ; the metathoracic lines of demarcation less evident, from the interstices being more strongly sculptured, whence it appears irregularly reticulated, and it is sparingly covered with a black pubescence ; the trans- verse yellow line on the collar sometimes wanting, the tubercles entirely black ; the anterior femora with a fuscous line above, and a yellow one beneath, the intermediate ones with a yellow line above, the posterior pair with a yellow spot towards their apex above, and the posterior tibiae black inside ; the four an- terior tarsi yellow, with the base of the first joint, and the whole of the apical ones, and the entire posterior pair, piceous ; the exterior of the basal joint of the intermediate tarsi produced in an angle towards its apex, the margin of which is very spi- nose ; the yellow bands of the abdomen with the second fre- quently entire, and the three following generally reduced to an 142 CRABRONIDiE. ovate spot on each side, the fifth sometimes entire, and the sixth always so. ^ $ in most Cabinets. fit It will be necessary for me to state my reasons for considering this a new species, although exceedingly like two that have been described, viz. [1] the C. fossorins, Linn., which is that of all subsequent authors, excepting Van der Linden, who, although he cites their synonymes, describes a different insect, ([2] which St. Fargeau considers as his Cr. chrysostomus,) and St. Fargeau, who has carried it into his genus Solenius, but under the same specific name. That it cannot be the first is proved by its having a golden pubescence on the clypeus ;* nor can it be Van der Linden's Cr. fossorius, which, according to St. Far- geau, is his own Cr. chrysostomus ; and the position of the stemmata in mine must prevent its being considered as this, for Van der Linden does not notice their curve, which * The male is in its antennae either a Crabro or Ceratocolus of the second subdivision of the first division of St. Fargeau. Why I am uncertain is, be- cause in his genus Crabro the stemmata are in a triangle, and the males have several of the basal joints of the clavolet emarginate, and thirteen joints to the organ ; and in Ceratocolus the stemmata are placed in a curve ; and in the division I refer to, the antennae of the $ have twelve joints, vidth some of the basal ones emarginate. If therefore he overlooked one of the joints, it would strictly enter into that subdivision of his Ceratocolus : if he saw the thirteen joints, and overlooked the position of the stemmata, it would be a Crabro : but if he saw the situation of the stemmata, as well as the thirteen joints of the an- tennae, it would have required the establishment of a distinct genus ; whereas the female is a true Solenius. I have entered into this critical explanation to show an additional reason for my not adopting his genera, and which I shall further vindicate in several other species. The essential character of a genus should be perfectly exclusive and negative for those wdthout it, but positive for those within it ; nor should the sexes admit of separation ; and such a cha- racter in this variable genus can be derived only from the neuration of the wing, which I also reiterate for the whole of the Fossorial Hymenoptera. XXI. CRABRO. 143 it is presumed he would have done had his presented that peculiar character which in other instances he has indi- cated. But I fear there is considerable confusion in the synonymy ; although it is not impossible that the several species should exist, yet I strongly suspect mine to be Van der Linden's insect, which however would not dis- pense with my name, as the latter author has applied wrong synonymes ; and as it is proved to be evidently distinct from St. Fargeau's Cr. chrysostomus by the essential cha- racter of the stemmata, I have named it in allusion to its habits ; it is exceedingly common in the summer months, especially where willows abound, into the wood of which it bores its cylindrical cells. Sp. 10. LiNDENIUS. N. Sp. niger, flavo-maculatus, stemmat'ihus in Itneam curvam positis, metathoracis basi longitudinaliter striato. ^ antennis simplicibus. length 5^ — 8 lines. $ ? Crabro cephalotes. Panz. F. 9. 62. 16. $ 1 Ceratocolus striatns. St. Farg. 3. 745. 4. Head black, pubescent, subquadrate, the whole superior sur- face densely punctured ; the stemmata placed in a curve in the centre of the vertex, the anterior portion of which is concave, a longitudinal central impressed line extending from the oc- ciput to the anterior stemma, whence it proceeds forwards to the verge of the vertex, where it expands into a broad canalicula, occupying the whole face, and reaching the base of the an- tennae, which are black, with their scape entirely yellow ; the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus densely clothed with a silvery down, the latter carinated in its centre ; the mandibles yellow, with their apex piceous. The thorax black, pubescent ; the dorsolum having a central longitudinal carina extending to its middle, and an abbreviated scratch on each side, its anterior half delicately transversely 144 CRABRONID^. Striate, and the posterior longitudinally and more coarsely wrinkled ; the scutellum longitudinally striate, interspersed with punctures; the metathorax having a deep longitudinal incisure and a semicircular space at its base, very coarsely longitudinally striate, and its posterior portion extremely delicately transversely striate and opaque ; the peristethium has on each side, behind, an abbreviated tranverse carina ; the collar with a transverse interrupted band, the tubercles, and a lunule upon the scutellum, all yellow (sometimes the tubercles black, and a mere slight transverse line only on the scutellum) ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings slightly fuscous, their nervures testaceous ; the legs yellow, with the femora black, excepting the apex of the tro- chanters, and their knees ; a black litura beneath the anterior tibiae, a spot beneath the intermediate ones, and the extreme apex of all ferruginous, and the apical joints of the tarsi rufo- piceous, the anterior ones ciliated on the exterior, and the in- termediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, with five yellow bands more or less in- terrupted, sometimes all entire, the third generally most in- terrupted, and the fifth always entire, the first generally waved in front ; the anus yellow, the produced obtuse spine at its ex- tremity canaliculated above, and black, and having on each side some rigid yellow setae. The $ has its antennae simple, which appear to have but twelve joints, and differs from the 5 in having the scape above black ; the mandibles with only a yellow litura on their inner edge, sometimes entirely black ; the collar less yellow ; the tu- bercles, scutellum, and tegulae sometimes black ; the sculpture of the metathorax more strongly marked, its anterior portion rather irregularly longitudinally striate ; the wings dark, their nervures piceous ; the legs yellow, the anterior femora behind, the intermediate behind and below, and the posterior, entirely black ; the outside of the anterior tibiae and the inside of the intermediate ones entirely black, the exterior of the inter- mediate plantae produced towards the apex, and its margin XXI. CRABRO. 1^5 armed with spines, the remainder like the 5 ; the abdomen ob- long, and marked Hke the j , but with an additional band, and sometimes more interrupted, the second and fifth and sixth bands generally the widest, frequently entire, the terminal segment having a central longitudinal groove. ,^ $ in my own and other Cabinets. f If As this insect, whicli I have named in honour of a distinguished Hymenopterologist, does not agree with any excepting Panzer's figure and description of his Cr. cepha- lotes, yet as the latter apparently mixes two species, his name becomes a doubtful synonyme. This doubt is increased by St. Fargeau making it the synonyme of his Craho striatus, wath which mine cannot agree, as from its structure it decidedly belongs to his genus Solenius; whereas its $ as evidently belongs to his genus Ceratocolus, and is very like his Cer. striatus ; but certainly different, for he does not notice the remarkable peculiarity in the stria- tion of the dorsolum, which is transverse anteriorly, and longitudinal posteriorly. These two insects further con- firm my views in not adopting his genera ; for here again two are linked together by the sexes of the same species. This species appears rare. I have not hitherto taken it myself. Mr. Walker has captured it in the vicinity of London, in July ; and Mr. Stephens at Ripley in Surrey. Sp, 11. VAGUS. Lin. n'lger, Jlavo-maculatus, stemvmtihis in I'tneam curvam positis, dorsolo punctata $ 5 . length 4|— 5J lines. Fab. S. E. 375. 8 ; Spec. 1. 471. 10 ; Mant. 1. 296. 16 ; Ent. Syst. 2. 298. 17 ; Piez. 313. 22 ; Panz. F. G. 46. 10 ; Rossi, F. Et. 2. 91. 881 ; OHv. Ency. Meth. 6. 515. 18 ; Schrank, F. Boica, 2. 338. 2188 ; Latr. Histr. Nat. 13. 324. 4 ; \. d. Lind. pt. 2. 57. 16. I. T4G crabronid.t:. Sphex vag.i. Lin. F. S. 1661 ; Syst. Nat. ed. 12. 946. 36; Villers, 3. 238, 44; Schaeff. Icon. Ins. Rat. pi. 94. fig. 4 & 5 ; and pi. 127. fig. 6. Solenius vagvs. St. Farg. 3. 722. 9. The head black, subpubescent, very thickly punctured ; the stemmata placed in a curve ; a deep canalicula occupying the whole face ; the antennae black, with the scape yellow, having a black patch behind ; the clypeus, which is strongly carinated in its centre, covered, as well as the inner orbits of the eyes, with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black, the inner margin yellow, and the apex piceous. The thorax black, pubescent, thickly punctured ; the base of the dorsolum with a central and two obsolete lateral carinse; the metathorax in front longitudinally, and behind transversely striate, and having a longitudinal central incisure throughout its whole length ; the peristethium having on each side, posteriorly, a transverse abbreviated carina; the collar with a transverse yellow band, frequently wanting, and the post-dorsolum some- times a yellow line in front ; the tegulag piceous ; the wings darkish, with their edge darker, the nervures piceous ; the legs black ; the anterior tibiee yellow above, and ferruginous in front, the intermediate pair yellow in front and above, and the posterior ones entirely yellow, the extreme apex of all ferru- ginous ; all the tarsi piceous, the anterior pair very slightly ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, with three yellow bands, one at the base of the second segment, the second at the base of the fourth segment, and the last at that of the fifth, with every variety of interruption, sometimes all entire, the third generally so, and the third segment with sometimes a small transverse mark on each side $ . The $ agrees in having apparently the same number of joints to the antennae, but the fifth and sixth emarginate beneath ; the metathorax irregularly long^udinally striate in front, and trans- versely behind ; the anterior femora ferruginous above and in XXI. CRABRO. 147 front, black behind, and yellow beneath ; their tibae also ferru- ginous in front, yellow above, and black behind ; their anterior tarsi piceous, the first joint and base of the second pale, the former reddish at its base ; the intermediate femora black, their tibiae yellow above, ferruginous in front, and black behind ; and the posterior femora black, their tibiae yellow, with a black stain in front, and a ferruginous one behind ; the four posterior tarsi rufo-ferruginous, their basal joint being a little paler in the posterior pair, sometimes yellow ; the sixth segment of the ab- domen has sometimes some yellow markings, or a band, at its base. ^ 5 in most Cabinets. fif This species is common. Sp. 12. SUBPUNCTATUS. RoSsi. niger, jiavo-maculatus, margine infero capitis ulrinque spina ar- mato, metathoracis basi Icevi $ j . length 3|— 5 lines. Rossi, F. E. 2. 156. 891 $ . Y. d. Lind. pt. 2. 58. 19. ^ J . Crahro A-maculatus. Fab. E. S. 2. 294. 4.; Piez. 308. 3. $. muroi-um. Latr. Hist. Nat. 13. 324, 5. J . Crossncerus subpunctalus. St. Farg. 3. 766. 3. ^ J . Head black, punctured, but not thickly ; several irregular de- pressions on the vertex ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in its centre ; a deep longitudinal depression, extending from the anterior stemma to the face, where it becomes a canalicula, oc- cupying all its space between the eyes ; the antennae black, with the base and apex of the scape generally fuscous ; the clypeus strongly carinated in the centre, and very loosely covered with a brassy pubescence; the mandibles fuscous, with their apex rufo-piceous, sometimes entirely piceous ; the carina which se- parates the jugulum from the genae terminated anteriorly in an acute tooth. The thorax black ; the dorsolum loosely punctured, its base L 2 148 CRABRONID.E. has three obsolete parallel carinai ; the nietathorax with a longitudinal central incisure expanding just beyond the middle into a fossulet, and above which a transverse one divides it, curving upwards, and enclosing the anterior portion in a semi- circle, which is smooth and shining, sometimes very slightly obliquely striated at its exterior edge, and joining that which separates the post-dorsolum from the metathorax, the whole consute ; the posterior portion of the metathorax distinctly en- closed by lateral ridges, shining, anteriorly punctured, and be- hind tranversely striate, or the whole entirely so ; the collar and post-dorsolum with a transverse yellow line, the former generally interrupted, the latter sometimes wanting ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings slightly coloured, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the apex of the coxee and base of the trochanters fuscous ; the anterior and intermediate tibiae, in front, and the posterior ones with a ring at their base, yellow ; the anterior and intermediate tarsi yellow at their base, rufo-piceous at their apex, the posterior pair entirely piceous ; the anterior tarsi slightly ciliated outside ; and the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, elongato-ovate, with five yellow bands; the second, third, fourth, and fifth, very wide; the four first generally interrupted; the fourth sometimes merely emarginate in front; the fifth almost always entire; the first and third some- times reduced to a mere spot on each side ; the second and third generally the least interrupted ; the anal segment with generally a yellow spot on each side, and a central one beneath 5 . The $ has its antennae simple, and the clavolet fringed below, and differs from the 5 in the scape having sometimes a lateral yellow line ; the interior orbits of the eyes and clypeus covered with a loose silvery pubescence, the latter tridentate in front, and frequently a yellow spot on each side of its base behind ; the yellow markings on the collar and post-dorsolum generally wanting ; their anterior and intermediate femora fuscous in front, the latter also behind ; the abdomen elongate, the first segment XXr. CRABRO. 149 gradually narrowing at its base into a petiole, and generally much less coloured than in the $ , it being most frequently limited to an ovate yellow spot on each side of the base of the second and third segments, sometimes a few spots at the base of the sixth segment, and very rarely the abdomen is entirely black. $ 2 hi most Cabinets. f -i-f This species, the descriptions will show, is extremely variable in the colour of its abdomen. I have a single specimen in which it is entirely black. It is not un- common in the vicinity of London. Sp. 13. VAGABUNDUS. PaUZ. niger, Jlavo-macidatus, metathorace Icevi $ . $ femoribus anticis subtils spind obtusd armatis. length 4g — 5j lines. Panz. F. G. 53. 16 $ . V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 57. 18. ? Crabro mediatus. Fab. E. S. Sup. 270. 16—17 ; Piez. 312. 20. ? Blepharipiis mediatus, St. Farg. 3. 734. 6. ^ J . Head black, punctured, but not thickly, somewhat shining; the vertex having on each side, within the eyes, an oblique fossulet, extending in the direction of the posterior stemmata ; the stemmata placed in a triangle about its centre, the anterior one having in front a longitudinal impression, which extends to the verge of the face, where it becomes a smooth and shining canalicula, occupying the whole face to the base of the clypeus ; the antennae black, with their scape yellow in front; the clypeus and interior of the orbits of the eyes, and lower portion of the cheeks, covered with a silvery down ; the mandibles black, with iheir apex piceous. The thorax black, subpubescent ; the dorsolum punctured, but not thickly, and slightly shining, having at its base a central longitudinal carina, extending to the disk ; the scutellum also slightly punctured ; the metathorax with a longitudinal 160 CRABKONIDf. incisure crossed near its middle by a transverse one, which curves upwards on each side, and encloses a semicircular space, quite smooth and shining, and joining that which separates the metathorax from the postdorsolum, the whole incisure consute ; the posterior portion of the metathorax smooth and shining in front, and slightly transversely striate laterally and behind ; the peristethium having on each side behind a minute tooth ; the collar with an interrupted yellow band, and the scutellum slightly yellow in front ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings slightly coloured, and nervures piceous ; the legs with the femora black ; the tibiae yellow, with a black litura beneath the anterior and intermediate pairs, the posterior pair with a piceous spot at their apex within ; all the tarsi fuscous, paler at their base, the anterior pair very slightly ciliated on the exterior, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae slightly spinose. The abdomen black, with five yellow bands variously inter- rupted, sometimes all merely subinterrupted ; the anal segment yellow at its base on each side ; the intermediate space between the anal carinae punctured and black, its extreme tip ferru- ginous $ . The $ has the antennae simple, and differs in having their clavolet fimbriated beneath ; the yellow of the collar and scu- tellum generally wanting ; the wings with a dark spot within their marginal cell ; the anterior trochanters yellow, their fe- mora testaceous beneath and in front, and having a small pro- duced tooth on their exterior towards the base; the intermediate femora testaceous behind and in front ; in all else the legs re- semble the 5 ; the abdomen is oblong, with seldom more than a minute spot on each side of the first segment, a band, more or less interrupted, at the base of the second and third, a trans- verse line on each side of the fourth, a central ovate spot on the fifth, and a central transverse line on the sixth, but the markings of the first, fourth, and fifth segments are sometimes wanting. $ $ in my own Collection. f-j-f This species is not uncommon near London. XXI. CRABRO. 151 Sp. 14. DIMIDIATUS. Fab. niger, Jlavo-maculatus , ahdomine aperte peliolato. length 4 J — 6 lines. Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 298. 19 ; Piez. 313. 24 ; V. d. Lind. p. 2. 58. 20 ; Oliv. Ency. Meth. 6. 516. 24. Crubrn signatus. Panz. F. G. 43. 15. J. Blepharipus signatus. St. Farg. 3. 731. 4. Head black, subpubescent, smooth, or with a very few minute scattered punctures, and shining ; the stemmata placed in a triangle towards the posterior margin of the vertex, with a small elevation between the posterior pair, and a slight longitudinal line extending from the front of the anterior one to the verge of the vertex, which is slightly concave ; the anterior and pos- terior margins of the vertex and the sides next the eyes elevated, presenting a subquadrate superficies, the inner portion of which between the eyes and stemmata is concave ; the antennae black, the scape yellow, with a black stain above ; the face very slightly canaliculated ; the inner orbits, the lower portion of the cheeks, and clypeus, covered with a dense silvery down, the latter with sometimes a yellow spot on each side of its base, and its centre has a longitudinal carina ; the mandibles generally black at their base, then yellow, and their apex rufo-piceous, or sometimes entirely black, with their apex piceous. The thorax black, pubescent ; the dorsolum minutely and densely punctured, having in the centre, at its base, two very close parallel impressed lines extending to the disk ; the scu- tellum punctured ; the metathorax with a subcordate, smooth and shining space, which is enclosed all round by a consute incisure, and a longitudinal one down its centre, which dilates beyond it into a fossulet ; the posterior portion of the meta- thorax, on each side of this fossulet, pubescent, with a few scattered delicate punctures, and shining ; the collar with a transverse band, the apex of the tubercles, a spot on each side of the scutellum, and the post-dorsolum, generally yellow ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings coloured, their nervures piceous ; 152 CRABRONID.E. the legs with the base and apex of the intermediate and posterior coxae rufo-piceous ; the apex of the trochanters yellow ; the femora all black ; the tibiae yellow, with a black stain beneath, extending sometimes irregularly within the posterior ones ; the tarsi rufo-piceous, with their basal joint yellow ; the anterior tarsi ciliated on the exterior, and all the tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, elongate, lanceolate (the first segment much narrowed towards its base, and forming a petiole), with five broad yellow bands variously interrupted, and the anus yellow, the first and last generally entire, that on the third seg- ment sometimes wanting, and those on the fourth, fifth, and sixth segments sometimes reduced to a small ovate transverse spot on each side, and the sixth occasionally abbreviated on each side 2 • The $ has the antennae simple, slender, and the scape fim- briated beneath, and differs in the latter having only a yellow line at the side ; the mandibles black ; the dorsolum less closely punctured, and shining ; and the thorax generally without any yellow markings ; the wings less deeply coloured, but darker on the anterior margin ; the legs black ; the anterior femora rufo-piceous at their base and within, the intermediate with a testaceous streak inside and outside ; the anterior tibiae yellow above, the intermediate on the exterior, and the posterior at the knees, and sometimes at the apex on the exterior, and all the tarsi piceous or rufo-piceous ; the anterior femora compressed and dilated a little behind, their tibiae angularly dilated behind towards the middle, and irregularly concave beneath, the inter- mediate femora concave beneath, and their tibiae irregularly excised on the exterior, with a pale dilatation extending along their margin ; the posterior coxae dilated into a flat and acute spine towards their base below, their femora slightly flattened within ; their tibiae clavate ; the colour of the abdomen gene- rally much less than in the $, and consisting frequently of merely a band on the first segment, a minute spot on each side of the second, a widely interrupted band on the third, another XXI, CRABRO. 15.3 minute sj)ot on each side of the fourth, a spot or two in the centre of the sixth, yellow ; and the anus flavo-ferruginous. $ ? in my own and other Cabinets. f4-t This species is not common. It has been found in the Isle of Wight by F. Walker, Esq., at Ripley in Surrey by Mr. Stephens, in Lancashire by Mr. Davis, and it has occurred in Kent ; but I have never found it in the im- mediate vicinity of London. Sp. 15. i.EucosTOMA. Lin. niger, antennarum scapo taniuin a latere Jlavo s'ignato, rneta- thorace Icevi. length 4 — 5 lines. Fab. Sys. Ent. 376. 13 ; Spec. 1. 472. 17 ; Mant. 1. 297. 27 ; Ent. Syst. 2. 301. 27 ; Oliv. Ency. Meth. 6. 518. 35 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 61. 24. Sphex leiicostoma. Lin. F. S. 1663; Syst. Nat. 1. 946. 36 ; Villers, 3. 237. 43. PemphredoH leucostoma. Fab. Piez. 314. 1. Crossocerus leucostoma. St. Farg. 3. 777. 13. Crabro bidens. Haliday, Ent. Mag. 1. 516. $. Head black, shining, subpubescent ; the vertex with several irregular depressions, and a few scattered minute punctures ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in its centre, in front of the anterior one a deep longitudinal impression extending to the face, which is canaliculated, smooth, and shining ; the antennae black, the side of the scape with a yellow streak ; the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus densely covered with a silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black, their apex piceous. The thorax black, subpubescent, smooth, and shining ; the dorsolum and scutellum with a very few minute scattered punc- tures, the former with two central parallel impressed lines running to the disk ; the metathorax with a central deep longitudinal incisure, a subcordiform, smooth, and shining space at its base, not always distinctly enclosed, beyond which it is minutely 154> CRABRONIDiE. punctured ; the peristethium has on each side, behind, a minute tooth ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings with a dark cloud beyond their centre, their nervures piceous ; the legs entirely black ; the posterior tibiae subclavate ; the tarsi generally piceous, the anterior tarsi very slightly ciliated ; the intermediate and pos- terior tibiee spinose. The abdomen black, smooth, and shining ; the margins of the posterior segments sometimes piceous, and the apex ferru- ginous 5 • The $ has the antennae simple, the clavolet fimbriated be- neath, and only differs from the 2 in the clypeus having on each side a strongly produced tooth, concave beneath. ■f^j- This species is common near London, and it has been found at 'New Lanark by F. Walker, Esq. The species described by Mr. Haliday is the $ of it. Sp. 16, ELpNGATULus. V. d. Lind. niger, elongatus, metathorace antice ohliqu^ striato, pedibus duohus anticis tantum suhtus Jlavis, mandihulis palpisque piceis. length 2i— 3 J lines. V. d. Lind. p. 2. 62. 25. Crossocerus etongatutus. St. Farg. 3. 790. 28. Head black, subquadrate ; the vertex minutely and thickly punctured ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in its centre, on each side of the posterior ones a smooth and shining depression, and between them a longitudinal impressed line, which does not extend beyond them posteriorly, the anterior one has in front sometimes an obsolete impressed line ; the antennae simple, black, the scape yellow at the sides, slightly rufescent at its base and apex, the clavolet fimbriated beneath ; the face ca- naliculated, and smooth and shining ; the inner orbits of the eyes and the clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; XXI. CKABRO. 155 tlie mandibles black and piceous at their apex ; the palpi piceous. The thorax black, minutely and closely punctured ; the dor- solum with two central parallel slightly elevated lines at its base, extending to the disk, and two lateral ones much shorter ; the metathorax with a cruciform consute incisure, the transverse one somewhat curved, and enclosing the anterior portion of the metathorax, which is very convex, somewhat obliquely striate, and its posterior portion transversely ; the tegulse piceous ; the wings slightly iridescent, hyaline, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior and intermediate femora yellow in front, as well as the anterior tibiae ; the calcaria testaceous. The abdomen subclavate, black, and shining ; tlie dorsal margin of the two basal segments constricted i . I do not know the ? , but the following is Van der Linden's description of its difference from the $ : " Legs black, except- " ing the inside of the anterior tibiae, which are yellow." $ in my own and other Cabinets. ■i4-t This is not uncommon in the vicinity of London. Sp. 17. LUTEiPALPis. St. Farg. niger, elongatus, metathorace antice oblique striato, mandihulis, j)alpis et tibiis quatuor anticis suhtusjlavis $ . length 2i— 3 lines. Crossocerus luteipalpis, St. Farg. 3. 785. 23. Black : head shining, punctured ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle on the vertex, a minute longitudinal impres- sion between the two posterior ones, which scarcely passes them ; the scape of the antennae yellow laterally ; the clypeus, internal orbits and cheeks, covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles and palpi yellow, the former rufescent at their apex. The thorax shining and punctured ; three longitudinal lines running from the collar to the disk of the dorsolum ; the two lobes of the subcordiform base of the metathorax very convex and longitudinally striated, the space beyond forming the trun- 156 CRABRONID-E. cation of the metatliorax transversely striated; the wings hyaline, iridescent, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the four anterior femora and tibiae yellow in front, and the extreme base of the posterior tibiae pale ; the tarsi piceous, and the calcaria pale testaceous. The abdomen has a slight silvery pubescence, and the dorsal margin of the two basal segments are somewhat constricted i . The ? I am unacquainted with. f in ray own Cabinet. ■f^if Taken in the vicinity of London, where it is not uncommon : it occurs in company with the C. elongatulus, V. d. Lind., of which it is perhaps only a variety. Sp. 18. PRoxiMus. N. Sp. niger, elongatus, metathorace antice oblique strialo, viandibidis testaceis, tibiis {quatuor anticis exlUs nigris), tarsisque flavis S . length 2\ lines. Head black, punctured ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle in the centre of the vertex, an oblique smooth depres- sion on each side of the posterior ones, and a longitudinal im- pression between them extending just beyond, another in front reaching the face, which is canaliculated ; the antennae simple, black, the scape in front yellow, and the clavolet fimbriated beneath ; the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black at their base, then testaceous, and their apex rufescent. The thorax black, shining, with scattered minute punctures ; the dorsolum with two central parallel obsolete carinae extending to the disk ; the metatliorax with a consute cruciform incisure, its anterior portion obliquely striate, and posterior transversely so, a minute dot on each side of the collar, and the tubercles yellow ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, their nervures testaceous ; the legs yellow, with the anterior XXI. CRABRO. 157 femora behind and the intermediate and posterior ones, except their knees, black, the anterior tibia? beneath and the inter- mediate ones with a litura at their apex beneath, and the posterior ones, excepting a ringe at their base, black ; the tarsi yellow, with their apical joints rufo-piceous, the posterior ones with the basal joint, and the base of the second only, yellow, the rest piceous. The abdomen subclavate, subpubescent, black, and shining ; the apical segment flavo- testaceous S. I am unacquainted with the 5 . $ in ihe collection of the Entomological Society of London. -|--j-j- This insect, which is unique in the above collection, exactly resembles the Crab, elongatulus in the sculpture of the metathorax; but the difference of the colour of the legs and tubercles, and other minute distinctions, permit me I think to consider it more than a variety and specifically distinct, it being of the same sex as those I know of that species. It is very like the $ of Crossocerus varus of St. Fargeau, but wants the yellow on the prothorax and scu- tellum, and minor differences, which prevent my treating it as that insect. Sp. 19. PODAGRicus. V. d. Lind. niger, abdomine clavato, metathoracis spat'to subcordiformi Icpvi, tibiis posticis voldi incrassatis, perislelhio denticulo armato $ 2- length 2|— 3^ lines. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 60. 23. Crossocerus podagricus. St. Farg. 3. 786. 24. Head black, smooth, and shining ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in the centre of the vertex, a central longitudinal im- pression extending from the anterior one to the face, which is 158 CRABRONID^. slightly canal iculated ; the antennae black, their scape yellow with a black line behind ; the inner orbits of the eyes and the clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles rufescent at their apex. The thorax black, thickly covered with very minute punc- tures ; the dorsolum at its base with two central and two lateral longitudinal impressed lines extending to the disk ; the meta- thorax has at its base a subcordiform shining space very delicately punctured at its sides, enclosed around with a consute impres- sion, a longitudinal one in its centre, broad at the base, and nar- rowing towards the apex of the subcordiform space, where it becomes obsolete, beyond this it again widens into a deep fossulet which extends the whole length of the metathorax, the posterior portion of which is punctured in front and slightly transversely striate behind ; the peristethium has behind on each side a minute tooth ; a minute dot sometimes on each side of the collar, the tubercles and the extreme base of the wings (not the tegulae, which are piceous) yellow ; the wings slightly coloured, irides- cent, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior femora at the knee, their tibiae in front and above, the intermediate tibiae above, andtheposterior ones with a ring at their base, all yellow; the anterior and intermediate tarsi yellow at their base, and rufo- piceous at the apex ; the posterior ones entirely piceous, the anterior pair very slightly ciliated, and the intermediate and posterior tibiee slightly spinose, the latter very much thickened on the exterior towards the apex. The abdomen smooth, shining, clavate, longer than the head and thorax ; the last segment pinched on each side, presenting above a trilobate concavity, the apex rufescent $ . The $ has the antennae simple, and with their clavolet fimbri- ated beneath, and differs in having the anterior femora yellow inside, and above testaceous, with the posterior margin below fimbriated; the intermediate femora yellow-testaceous within, and a testaceous, sometimes yellow, stain behind ; the intermediate trochanters and femora fimbriated, the latter only at their XXI. CRABRO. lo9 base, and the anterior tarsi also densely fimbriated on the edges, those as well as the intermediate more yellow, in other respects exactly like the 5 ; the abdomen subcylindrical, narrower, and more elongate. ^ 2 in many Cabinets. f 4-t If the form of the anus and a difference of general habit constituted claims to generic separation, it is clear that St. Fargeau ought to have removed this species from his genus Crossocerus ; for, in the former peculiarity, it is more evidently distinct from the rest of this genus of his than are his Corynopus and Physoscelus from each other. This and the following species, which latter appears hitherto unknown, form, by their distinctly clavate abdomen, with the C. dimidiatus a direct link to division B., contain- ing the petiolated C. riifiventris and C. tibialis, which further proves the inutility of St. Fargeau's elaborate dis- tribution, there being, throughout all the species, direct points of contact which connect them together, although they cannot be arranged in a consecutive series. If in the multitude of modes of natural arrangement that have been proposed I might be allowed to suggest the intercalation of one, I should consider this genus Crahro a central group, whence, from the diversity of its forms, all the rest of the fossorial Hymenoptera would radiate ; yet, even then it will be found that this planet has its satellites, with occa- sionally a comet to cross their orbits ! Nature is too Protean to be bodiced. Sp. 20. CAPITOSUS. N. Sp. niger, capite quadrato, abdomine clavoto, metathorace Icevt, tibiis jwsticis valde incrassatis $ . length 85 lines. Entirely black : head large, siibquadrate, smooth and shinino- ; 166 CRABRONFD.T.. the stemmata placed in a triangle in the centre of the vertex, which has a few scattered minute punctures and a slightly impressed longitudinal line passing from the anterior stemma to a little be- yond the posterior ones, and a deeper one in front extending to the face, which is canaliculated ; the antennae black, the base and apex of the scape sometimes rufo-piceous ; the inner orbits of the eyes and the clypeus, which is produced in the centre, in front, into a tooth, covered with a dense silvery down : the mandibles towards their apex piceous. The thorax narrower than the head, somewhat shining ; the dorsolum and scutellum with some scattered punctures, and the former with two central parallel impressions at its base extending to the disk ; the metathorax consute at its extreme base, smooth and shining, with a delicate central longitudinal line, which deepens beyond the middle, the anterior and posterior por- tions not distinctly separated, the former seen under a high power, having a few curved very delicate striae ; the tegulae rufo-piceous ; the wings subhyaline, very iridescent, their ner- vures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior tibiae yellow in front, the intermediate ones fuscous at their base and apex, the posterior coxae pale testaceous at their apex, and their tibiae, which are subclavate, with a pale yellow ring at the base ; the anterior and intermediate tarsi pale yellow at their base and rufo-piceous at the apex ; the posterior ones rufo-piceous ; the legs simple and covered with a thick pubescence. The abdomen clavate, the first segment much narrowed at its base, black, smooth, and shining ; the anus rufescent at its apex, where it is narrowed into a channel ? . I am unacquainted with the S . $ in my own Collection. •f^-f This species will not, strictly speaking, enter into any of St. Fargeau's genera, for it has the anus * acumine, creuse en gouttiere,'' which would place it in Solenius accord- ing to the female characters ; but then it has the ' ocelles en XXI. CRABRO, 161 triangle tquilateral,' but he would probably have placed it in the repository Crossocerus, where, notwithstanding the characters he has laid down, he inserts insects with both an acuminate and channelled anus, and with incrassated pos- terior tibiae. See the observations under the preceding species, to which this is closely allied in general habit. I have taken it, but rarely, in Battersea Fields, and I have not observed it in any other collection. Sp. 21. HYALiNus. Steph. niger, elongatus, metathorace antice oblique striata, mandibulis nigris, genibus quatuor posticis tantumjlavis 5 . length 3^ lines. Stephens's MS. and Systematic Catalogue, pt. 1. 365. 4961. 33. Head black, punctured ; the stemmata placed in a triangle on the vertex, an impressed line between the posterior ones, but not extending beyond them, and another in front of the anterior one reaching to the face ; the antennae black, the side of the scape fulvescent ; the clypeus covered with a silvery down ; the mandibles black, with their apex piceous. The thorax black, punctured ; the metathorax with the en- closed space at its base obliquely striated, with a central longi- tudinal consute incisure ; the posterior portion of the meta- thorax transversely striate ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings hyaline, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior tibiae in front, and the knees of the others, yellow, the tarsi piceous, with their basal joint yellow, the anterior pair simple, but all the tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, subpubescent, shining j . The $ I am unacquainted with. $ in Mr. Stephens's Cabinet. tit This is not described by St. Fargeau, but would come into his genus Crossocerus. M 16^ CRABRONIDjE. Sp. 32. TRANSVEnSALlS. N. Sp. niger, elongatus, metathorace antice transverse striata. length 2j^ lines. Head black, thickly punctured ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle in the centre of the vertex, a longitudinal impressed line between the posterior ones passing not far beyond them, and another in front of the anterior one extending to the face, which is canaliculated, smooth, and shining ; the antennae black, with a fulvous stripe at the side of the scape, and the cla- volet fimbriated beneath ; the inner orbits of the eyes and the clypeus (which is carinated in the centre, and tridentate in front) covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles yellow testaceous, their apex rufescent. The thorax black and thickly punctured ; the metathorax with a cruciform consute incisure, the longitudinal one wide at the base of the metathorax, narrowing towards the centre, just beyond which it dilates into a broad fossulet, the transverse one bending upwards and enclosing its anterior portion, which, as well as the posterior, is transversely striate ; the collar with two small pale spots ; the tegulas piceous ; the wings hyaline, subiri- descent, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior and intermediate femora beneath, the anterior tibiae in front, a small stain at the knee of the intermediate pair, and a small ring at the base of the posterior ones, yellow ; the tarsi piceous. The abdomen subclavate, black, smooth, and shining $ . I am unacquainted with the $ . $ in the Cabinet of Mr. Westwood. f-j-t This Crahro, which is unique in the cabinet of Mr. Westwood, is the only one I am acquainted with that has the anterior portion of the metathorax transversely striated, from which circumstance I have named it. It would come into St. Fargeau's genus Crossocerus, and near his Cros. pusillus, but it does not appear to be described by him. I cannot learn where it was taken. XXI. CRABRO. 1C3 Sp. 23, SPINIPECTUS. N. Sp. niger, elongatus, thorace flavo-maculato, metathorace antice oblique stiiato, peristethio denliculo armato $ $ . length 2|— 3 lines. Head black, smooth, and shining, with scattered minute punc- tures ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle in the centre of the vertex, on each side of the posterior ones a per- fectly smooth space, and between them a deep longitudinal im- pression which extends a short distance beyond, another in front of the anterior one extending to the face, which is smooth, shining, and canaliculated ; the antennge black, with the scape yellow at the sides; the inner orbits of the eyes and the clypeus (which is slightly carinated in the centre) covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black, with their apex rufes- cent. The thorax black, loosely punctured, and somewhat shining ; at the base of the dorsolum two central, parallel, longitudinal im- pressions, which extend to the disk, and an obsolete, abbreviated, longitudinal carina on each side of them ; the metathorax with a cruciform incisure, consute, widest at the base of the meta- thorax, the transverse one curving upwards and enclosing the anterior portion, which is obliquely striated, the striae sometimes obsolete ; the posterior portion transversely striate, sometimes only at its apex, its base having a few punctures ; the posterior portion of the peristethium having on each side a large acute tooth ; the collar with an interrupted yellow band or small dot on each side ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings slightly irides- cent, a dark cloud beyond their middle, and the nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the anterior tibiae, in front, and the inter- mediate and posterior ones with a ring at their base, yellow, sometimes that of the intermediate wanting, and it also varies in having occasionally a yellow spot at the apex of the intermediate ones beneath, the tarsi piceous, with their basal joint, or merely M 2 164 CRABRONID£. its base, pale ; the anterior pair ciliated on the exterior, and al) the tibiae spinose. The abdomen subclavate, black, shining, subpubescent, with the margins of the segments sometimes piceous ? . The $ has the antennae simple, fimbriated beneath, and differs in having a yellow spot on the scutellum ; the anterior femora yellow above and behind, testaceous in front and black beneath, their tibiae black merely I)eneath ; the intermediate femora with a yellow stripe above and in front, their tibiae with merely a black stain behind ; the anterior and intermediate tarsi with their terminal joint piceous, and a piceous spot on the basal joint of the anterior ones ; the posterior legs like the $ ; the abdomen longer and narrower than the $ . ^ 5 in my own Cabinet. fit This species is a good deal like the Crossocerus striatulus of St. Fargeau, but is very distinct. I do not find it yet described. I have captured it in the imme- diate vicinity of London. Sp. 24. Wesmaeli. V. d. Lind. niger, thorace Jlavo-rnaculuto, metathorace Icevi j . length 2—31 lii^s- V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 63. 26. Crossocerus Wesmaeli. St. Farg. 3. 783.20 ^ . Head black, minutely and delicately punctured ; the stemmata placed in a triangle about the centre of the vertex, between the posterior ones a slight longitudinal impression, which does not pass beyond them, and on each side of them an oblique smooth depression, in front of the anterior one another impressed line which extends to the face ; the antennae black, the scape beneath yellow, its extreme apex (as well as that of the pedicel) some- times ferruginous ; the face canaliculated, smooth, and shining ; the inner orbits of the eyes, the lower portion of the cheeks, and XXI. CRABUO. 165 the clypeus (which is carinated in the centre), covered with a dense^ silvery pubescence; the mandibles black at their base, then testaceous or yellow, and their apex rufescent. The thorax black, delicately punctured, somewhat shining ; the metathorax smooth and shining, with a consute cruciform incisure, the transverse one curving upwards, and the posterior portion of the metathorax with a few minute scattered punc- tures ; the collar with a transverse band, sometimes interrupted, the tubercles, the base of the wings (not the tegulae, which are rufo-piceous), and a spot on the scutellum, all yellow ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, their nervures piceous ; the legs with the femora black, the tibiae yellow, the anterior and intermediate black beneath, as well as the apical half of the posterior ones, the tarsi rufo-piceous or rufo-testaceous, their basal joint more or less yellow ; the anterior pair ciliated on the exterior, and all the tibiae spinose. The abdomen elongate- ovate, black, pubescent, the first segment narrowed anteriorly into a petiole ; the anal segment coarsely punctured and ferruginous at its apex 2 . The ^ I do not know, but V. d. Linden describes it as being like the $ , only less yellow. 5 in the Cabinets of Mr. Walker and the Author. f 4-t This species was captured by F. Walker, Esq., at New Lanark, in Scotland, to whom I am indebted for specimens. Sp. 25. PUBESCENS. N. Sp. niger, elongatus, capite et thorace pilis longis vestitis, metathorace Icevi $. length 3 lines. Head black, opaque, with punctures scattered over an irregular surface ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle rather 166 crabromdjG. behind the centre of the vertex, an impressed longitudinal line extending from the anterior one to the face ; the forehead, temples, and cheeks covered with a long pubescence ; the face canaliculated, smooth, and shining; the antennae black, fimbri- ated beneath, with a stripe at the sides of the scape yellow ; the inner orbits of the eyes, and the clypeus (which is produced in front), covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black. The thorax black, shining, delicately punctured ; the collar and dorsolum covered with a long black pubescence ; the meta- thorax with a subcordifcrm smooth and shining space at its base, which is divided from the posterior portion of the metathorax by a short consute transverse incisure, and it has down its centre a longitudinal deep incisure which beyond the transverse one dilates into a fossulet, at the sides of which it is smooth and shining ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings darkish, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior tibiae fulvous within, the intermediate femora with a fuscous stripe in front and behind, the tarsi piceous ; the anterior tibiae and tarsi densely fimbriated on the exterior. The abdomen elongato-ovate, black, subpubescent, and shin- ing ^• I am unacquainted with the $ . ^ in the Cabinets of the Entomological Society and Mr. Stephens. •f\.-f This insect, which is only in the Cabinets of the Entomological Society of London and of Mr. Stephens, is distinguished from the rest of the small black ones by the great length of the hair on the head and thorax, and the densely fimbriated anterior tibiae and tarsi ; in the sculptm-e of the metathorax it in some degrees resembles the C. leu- costoma, particularly in the central longitudinal incisure, but in that insect the aubcordiform space is not so distinctly defined as in this. It would be a Crossocerus of St. Far- XXI. CRABRO. Ifi7 geau, but he does not appear to liave described it. 1 cannot learn where it was found. Sp. 26. OBLIQUUS. N. Sp. niger, elongaius, metathoracis spatii suhcord'iformi disco tantum Icevi, Umbo oblique striata, length 2^— 3| lines. Head black, subquadrate ; the vertex minutely and closely punctured ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in its centre, on each side of the posterior ones a smooth and shining depression, and between them a longitudinal impressed line which does not extend beyond them, the anterior one has in front a deep im- pressed line which extends to the face ; the antennae black, with the scape on each side yellow ; the face canaliculated, smooth, and shining : the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus (which is carinated in the centre) covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; tlie mandibles black, testaceous, or yellow, their apex piceous or rufescent ; the palpi pale testaceous, or rufo-testaceous. The thorax black, closely and densely covered with minute punctures ; the dorsolum with two central parallel slightly ele- vated lines at its base extending to the disk, and two lateral ones much shorter ; the metathorax with a cruciform consute incisure, the transverse one somewhat curved and enclosing the anterior portion of the metathorax, the disk of which is smooth and shining, and the sides and limb behind obliquely striated, the posterior portion is transversely striated ; the collar with some- times a pale or yellow dot on each side ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings with a cloud beyond the middle, iridescent, and their nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the anterior tibiae yellow in front, and the intermediate and posterior ones yellow at their knees, the tarsi piceous, the basal joint of the intermediate and posterior pairs sometimes pale at the base ; the anterior tarsi simple, the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen subclavate, black, minutely punctured, and shining $ . 168 CRABRONIDiE. The $ differs in having the antennas fimbriated beneath ; and the scape in front, the intermediate tibiae in front, and the pos- terior ones at the base, all yellow. $ in the Cabinet of Mr. Stephens, 5 in Mr, Walker's and my own. •\\.-\ This species approaches somewhat to the Crossocerus niger of St. Fargeau, but it is distinct. I have taken the 2 in company with the C. elongatulus in the neighbourhood of London, and Mr. Walker has taken it at Barmouth. Sp. 27. PROPINQUUS. N. Sp. niger, elotigatus, metathorace Icevi, clypeo nigro. length 2i— 3| lines. ? Crossocerus pallidipalpis. St. Farg. 3. 779. 15. Head black, minutely punctured ; the stemmata placed in a triangle in the middle of the vertex, a delicate longitudinal im- pression between the posterior ones which passes just beyond them, a smooth shining depression on each side of them, a deeper longitudinal depression in front of the anterior one extending to the face ; the antennae black, with a yellow line on the outside of the scape ; the inner orbits of the eyes, the lower part of the cheeks, and the clypeus, covered with a silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black, with their apex rufo-piceous. The thorax black, minutely punctured, somewhat shining ; two central parallel longitudinal lines at the base of the dorsolum, extending to the disk, and two shorter lateral ones ; the meta- thorax smooth and shining, having a consute cruciform incisure, the transverse one curving upwards, and the posterior portion of the metathorax with some scattered punctures ; the collar with sometimes a minute pale yellow dot on each side ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings slightly coloured, and their nervures piceous ; the legs black, the anterior tibiae in front yellow, and the inter- mediate and posterior ones yellow at the extreme base, the tarsi XXI. CRABRO. 169 rufo-piceous or piceous, the base of the basal joint of the posterior ones sometimes paler. The abdomen subclavate, black, shining, subpubescent ; the apex of the last segment sometimes piceous 5 . The $ differs in having the antennae fimbriated beneath, and the intermediate tibiae yellow in front. ^ ? in my own Collection. t-i-t This species resembles a good deal to the C. levipes of Van der Linden, but is distinguished from it in the shape of its head chiefly, and the colour of the legs ; it approaches very closely to the C. Wesmaeli, but from which it differs both in colour and the shape of its abdomen. It is also very like the Crossocerus pallidipalpis of St. Far- geau, of which it may possibly be a variety. I captured it in the vicinity of London. Sp. 28. GENicuLATus. Steph. niger, clypeoflavo-maculato, mandibulis nigris, metathorace Icevi. length 5 lines. Stephens's Systematic Catalogue, pt. 1. p. 365. 496, n. Head black, punctured, shining ; stemmata placed in a triangle on the vertex, with an impressed line in front of the anterior one extending to the base of the antennae, which are black, with the scape yellow, but having a black stain behind ; the interior orbits of the eyes and clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence, the latter having a yellow spot in its centre covering the carina; the mandibles black, with their apex piceous. The thorax black, punctured, shining ; the dorsolum with two central parallel lines, extending from the base to the disc ; the metathorax with the subcordiform space at its base smooth, and having down its centre a longitudinal consute incisure, the posterior portion also smooth or very slightly transversely stri- ated ; the tegulae piceous ; the wings slightly coloured, their 170 CRABRONID.F.. nervures piccous ; the legs yellow, with the femora, the anterior and intermediate tibiae beneath, and the posterior ones at their apex, black ; the terminal joint of the tarsi piceous ; the an- terior pair slightly ciliated, and the posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen black, shining, subpubescent, with the margins of the segments and the apex of the last one piceous $ . The ^ I am unacquainted with. 5 in the Cabinet of Mr. Stephens. t^t This conspicuous insect, of which I know but the unique specimen in Mr. Stephens's collection, and which he took at Ripley in Surrey, may, perhaps, be the $ of the Crossocerus himaculatus of St. Fargeau. Sp. 29. Walkeri. N. Sp. niger, orhitis internis oculorum mandibuUsqueJlavis, metalhorace Icevi, abdomine ovato-conico $ . length 3 lines. Head black, somewhat shining, loosely punctured ; the stem- mata placed in a triangle in the centre of the vertex, with a deli- cate, longitudinal, impressed line between the posterior ones ex- tending considerably beyond them behind, and another deeper, in front of the anterior one, reaching the face ; the antennae black, their scape yellow, with a black stain behind ; the face slightly canaliculated, smooth, and shining, with a yellow line on each side of the inner orbits of the eyes, which is loosely covered with a silvery pubescence, as well as the lower portion of the cheeks ; the clypeus slightly convex, yellow, very much produced in the centre in front, and more densely covered with the silvery down ; the mandibles yellow on the outside, piceous within, their apex rufescent ; the palpi pale testaceous. The thorax black, shining, loosely punctured ; the metathorax with a cordate space at its base smooth and shining, the sides of which in front have some delicate curved striae, and it has a XXI. CRAEUO. 171 central longitudinal incisure which, as well as that which encloses it laterally and in front, is consute ; the posterior portion of the metathorax somewhat transversely striated ; the collar with a dot on each side, and the tuhercles yellow ; the tegulse testaceous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, their nervures piceous ; the legs yellow, with the anterior femora black behind, and ferruginous beneath, their tibiae with a black stain below, the intermediate black behind, their tibiae also with a black stain beneath, the posterior femora entirely black, their tibiae with a black stain at the apex above, the anterior and intermediate tarsi of a pale yellow, with the terminal joint rufo-piceous, the posterior ones piceous, with their basal joint yellow. The abdomen elongate- conical, black, subpubescent ; the margins of the segments testaceous, and the apex of the anal segment ferruginous $ . The 2 I am unacquainted with. $ in my own Collection. •f-^-'f- This very distinct Crahro is unique in my Cabinet, to which it was kindly presented by F. Walker, Esq., to whom I have the pleasure of dedicating it; it and the Crossocerus luteicollis of St. Fargeau are the only ones of the genus that I am acquainted with, that have yellow markings on the face between the eyes. This insect will not enter into any of St. Fargeau's divisions ; it approachas most to his Crossocerus, div. 2. ; but its prothorax or collar is not " anguleuxy^ nor are its antennte " garnis d'une frange de polls," and the " appendice de la radial " runs parallel to the anterior margin of the wings. Sp. 30. ALBILABRIS. Fab. niger, stemniatibus in lineam curvam positis, capite thoracis latitudine, metathoracis hasi longitudinaliter striata, ahdomine ovalo-conico, mgro-viridi ; $ capite mutico. length 2|— 3i lines. 172 CRABRONID.*;. Fab. E. Syst. 2. 302. 31 ; V. d. Lind. pt, 2. 55. 28. Crabro leucostoma. Panz. F. G. 15. 24. Pemphredon albilabris. Fab. Piez. 316. 8. Lindenius albilabris. St. Farg. 3. 795. 4. Head slightly aeneous, punctured ; the stemmata placed in a curved line on the vertex, the posterior pair having an impressed line between them extending beyond but not quite to the occi- put, another in front of the anterior one, reaching to the centre of the face ; the antennae black, with the base and apex of the scape fuscous ; the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus covered with a dense silvery pubescence, the latter slightly carinated ; the mandibles black, their apex piceous. The thorax black, punctured ; the metathorax having the sub- cordiform space at its base longitudinally striated, the posterior portion has a deep fossulet in its centre, and is slightly punctate in front, and transversely striated behind ; the tegulae piceous ; the extreme base of the wings yellow, the nervures testaceo- piceous, and the wings themselves coloured about the centre and pale towards their apex ; the legs black, with the anterior tibiae in front and the base of the two posterior pairs yellow, all the tarsi piceous, the basal joint being the darkest ; the anterior pair ciliated in front, and the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen aeneous, pubescent, particularly conspicuous in angles on each side of the base of the segments, which thence have a silvery tinge ; the apex of the posterior segment fuscous ? . The $ differs in having the apex of the scape, an inter- rupted transverse line on the collar, the tubercles, the exterior of all the tibiae, and the basal joint of the tarsi, all yellow, the remainder of the latter graduating from testaceous to piceous ; the exterior of the apex of the intermediate tibiae and the plantae densely fringed with long curled hair ; the aeneous tinge of the body is stronger in this sex than in the 5 . $ in the Rev. G. T. Rudd's Collection ; $ in my own and other Collections. f-^t The i has been taken by the Rev. G. T. Rudd in XXI. CRABRO. 175 the New Forest. The 5 is not uncommon in pathways, in Battersea Fields, especially where Cerceris ornata nidifi- cates ; but I have not yet captured the $ . Sp. 31. Panzeri. V. d, Lind. niger, stemmatibus in lineam curvam positis, capite magno, me- tathoracis basi longitudinaliter striato, abdomine ovato-conico. $ margine infero capitis utrinque spind armato. length If— 85 lines, V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 67. 29. Crabro scutatus 5 . Panz. F. G. 9. 15. 23. Lindenius Panzeri. St. Farg. 3. 798. 8. Black, pubescent ; the head wider than the thorax, quadrate ; the stemmata placed in a curve, an obsolete impressed line ex- tending from the anterior one to the sulcation of the face, and another behind it reaching to the occiput ; the scape of the an- tennae entirely and the mandibles yellow, the latter rufescent at their apex ; the clypeus and internal orbits covered with a silvery pubescence. The thorax punctured and pubescent ; the metathorax having the subcordiform space at its base longitudinally striated ; an interrupted line upon the collar, a spot upon the scutellum, and the tubercles yellow ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings hyaline, a little darker towards their apex, and nervures piceous ; legs yellow, with their coxag, trochanters, femora, and exterior of the four anterior tibiae, and extremity of the posterior pair, black, the terminal joints of the tarsi rufescent ; the tibiae, especially the posterior ones, very spinose, and the anterior tarsi ciliated. The abdomen smooth and shining, with an aeneous tinge, and the base of the segments covered laterally with a dense grey pubescence ; the terminal segment rufescent $ . The $ differs only in having the head larger, a spine on each side beneath the cheeks ; the scape of the antennae black, with merely a lateral yellow streak, and seldom any yellow on the 174 CRABRONID/E. scutelliim, and sometimes the whole thorax black, and the legs less varied with yellow. ^ 5 in my own and other Collections. f^,f I have occasionally taken this species in Battersea Fields ; its habits seem similar to those of the C. albilahris. I have found them both frequenting pathways, in which they nidificated in company with Cerceris ornata ; but I have more frequently taken the present upon a red-currant bush infested by an Aphis. Sp. 32. ExiGuus. V. d. Lind. niger, metathoracis basi Icevi, peristethio denticulato, abdomine ovato-cordco. length I3 — 2 1 lines. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 72. 33. Crossocerns exiguus. St. Farg. 3. 791. 30. Head black, smooth and shining, with scattered very minute punctures ; the stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle in the centre of the vertex, an oblique perfectly smooth depression on each side of the posterior ones, a longitudinal deep impres- sion between them, extending a little beyond, and another in front of the anterior one, reaching to the face, which is canali- culated, smooth, and shining; the antennae black, with the scape yellow in front ; the inner orbits of the eyes and the clypeus (which is carinated in the centre) covered with a dense silvery pubescence ; the mandibles black, with their apex piceous. The thorax black, shining, with scattered punctures, covered beneath with a loose silvery pubescence ; at the base of the dor- solum two central parallel longitudinal impressions, which ex- tend to the disk, and an abbreviated distinct carina on each side of them ; the metathorax with an enclosed subcordiform space at its base, smooth and shining, or merely very slightly obliquely striated at its extreme lateral edge, and having a XXI. CRABRO. 175 central longitudinal incisure, broadest at its base, and narrowing towards its apex, where it dilates into a fossulet, the impression enclosing it consute ; the posterior portion of the metathorax also smooth and shining, its lateral edges having highly raised ridges ; the posterior portion of the peristethium with a minute tooth on each side ; the collar with a small yellow spot on each side, sometimes wanting ; the tegulae testaceous ; the extreme base of the wings yellow ; the wings subiridescent, slightly clouded beyond their middle, their nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the anterior and intermediate tibiae in front, and a ring at the base of the posterior ones, yellow ; the tarsi rufo- piceous, their basal joint pale ; the anterior tarsi slightly ciliated, and the tibias spinose. The abdomen elongato-ovate, slightly narrower than the tho- rax, black, subpubescent, shining, sometimes the margin of the posterior segments piceous, and the apex of the last ferru- ginous 5 . The $ differs in sometimes wanting the yellow spots on the collar ; the intermediate femora having a yellow stain beneath, the yellow ring at the base of the posterior tibies smaller, the four anterior tarsi piceous, and the posterior pair black. ^ $ in my own Collection. tit I have taken both sexes of this insect in Battersea Fields. It approaches a good deal to my C. spinipectus. Sp. S3. BREVis. V. d. Lind. niger, sternmatibus in lineam curvam positis, metathoracis hast Icevi, abdomine thoracis longitudine, basi subtrimcato $ $ . length 2 — 2\ lines. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 70. 32. Lindenius brevis. St. Farg. 3. 800. 10. Head wider than the thorax, black, shining, loosely but deeply punctured ; the stemmata placed in a curve about the centre of the vertex, an oblique smooth depression on each side towards the front of the posterior ones, which have a short Ion- 176 CRABRONIDiE. gitudinal impression between them, extending a little beyond ; the antennae black, the scape yellow at the sides, and fulvous at its base ; the inner orbits of the eye and the clypeus, which is convex, covered with a dense silvery pubescence, and the lower part of the cheeks less densely so ; the mandibles black, their apex piceous or ferruginous, and having an obtuse tooth at their base on the exterior. The thorax black and shining, and having scattered punc- tures ; the metatborax with an enclosed subcordiform smooth space at its base, with a slight central longitudinal impression, the enclosing portion consute, the posterior portion smooth and shining, or only slightly punctured, its lateral edges not ridged ; the tubercles yellow ; the tegulae testaceous, or their anterior half yellow ; and the wings with a dark cloud beyond their centre, extending to their edge, the nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the anterior femora testaceous above, and the intermediate ones beneath at their apex, the anterior tibiae in front and above, the intermediate above and behind, and the posterior ones with a ring at their base, yellow, the anterior tarsi testaceous, the intermediate and posterior ones rufo-piceous, the tibiae spinose. The abdomen ovato-conical, scarcely longer than the thorax, and a little broader, black, with a griseous pubescence, and the margins of the posterior segments piceous, the apex of the last segment ferruginous $ . The $ has the antennae simple, and differs in its mandibles being yellow at their base, rufo-testaceous in the middle, and rufo-piceous at the apex ; the legs yellow, the anterior and in- termediate femora having a black stripe behind below, and the posterior ones entirely black, the intermediate and posterior tibiae with a piceous stain at their apex behind, and the apical joints of the tarsi ferruginous. ^ $ in my own and other Cabinets. -|--|.-j- This insect presents a remarkable divarication from XXI. CRABRO. 177 the type, in the form of its mandibles, as also in that of its abdomen, which is short and thick. I have taken it in Battersea Fields, and at Coombe in Surrey. Sp. 34. TIBIALIS. Fab. niger, ahdomine petiolato, primo segmento nodosa, tih'iarum pos- licoruni apice rufo. length 3 — S^ lines. Fab. Ent. Syst. Sup. 271 ; Panz. F. G. 83. 14 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 73. 35. Pemphredon tibialis. Fab. Piez. 315. 4. Corynopus tibialis. St. Farg. 3. 803. 1. Head black, shining, delicately punctured ; an impressed line running obliquely on each side of the anterior stemma, and passing the outside of the posterior ones ; the antennae black, the scape beneath yellow ; the clypeus covered with a silvery pubescence, very much produced, and projecting in front, having a sinus on each side ; the mandibles black at the base, then yellow, and tlie apex piceous. The thorax black, punctured ; the metathorax having the cordiform space occupying nearly its whole superficies extending posteriorly to its apex, enclosed at the sides, towards its apex, by a slightly elevated ridge, which becomes obsolete as it ad- vances forwards, its base very smooth and shining, the sides covered with a grey pubescence ; it has a longitudinal impression extending its whole length in the centre, and which from a re- gular line becomes a deep fossulet that reaches nearly to its apex ; the tubercles and the tegulae testaceous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, with their nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the apex of the anterior femora, and their tibiae and tarsi yellow, the base of the intermediate and posterior tibiae and the tarsi of the former also yellow, and the apex of the intermediate and the posterior tibiae red, those of the latter most distinctly so ; the tibiae very spinose. The abdomen black, punctured, shining ; the margin of the petiole and of the two or three posterior segments sometimes piceous, the anal segment red $ . N 178 CRABRONID.'E. The ^ (lifters in having the second joint of the antennae pro- duced at its apex into a tooth, the third very minute, not so long as tlie second, the fourth considerably swollen, and as long as the fifth, which is deeply emarginate, the remainder equal, and a little longer than the third ; the scape yellow beneath as well as the second joint or pedicel, the swollen portion of the fourth, and the margin of the fifth, fulvous, and the seventh, ninth and eleventh joints white ; the clypeus more produced and projecting further, and above slightly concave, and the ridge, which sepai'ates the genae from the jugulum, terminated in front, near the mouth, by a produced tooth ; the coxae and trochanters of the inter- mediate and the base of the coxae and entire trochanters of the posterior legs yellow, the apex of the intermediate tibiae also yellow ; the first joint of the anterior tarsi dilated on the in- side, of the intermediate on the outside towards its centre, and of the posterior compressed, slightly curved, flat beneath, and all fimbriated at their sides ; the posterior femora very pu- bescent beneath. $ $ In my own Collection. •\\.-\ Mr. Walker takes this species upon lime-trees in the vicinity of London. I have taken the $ at Darenth, and Mr. Westwood took several at Netley in Shropshire. Although St. Fargeau says the antennae of the $ have but twelve joints, they will be found upon inspection to have thirteen. Sp. 35. RUFivENTRis. Panz. niger, ahdomine nigro-rujbque petiolato, primo segmento nodosOy tibiarum posticorum apice nigro. length 2i— 3J: lines. Panz. F. G. 72. 12 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 72. 34. Physoscelus riijiventris, St. Farg. 3.805.1. Head black, delicately punctured, shining ; a slight longi- tudinal impression extending from the face to the anterior XXI. CRABRO. 179 stemma, behind which it becomes a slightly elevated ridge, which passes a little beyond the posterior ones ; the inner orbits of the eyes and clypeus covered with a silvery pubescence ; the antennae black, with the scape entirely yellow, the pedicel tes- taceous, sometimes piceous, and the underside of the basal joint of the clavolet piceous ; the clypeus slightly produced, and pro- jecting in front ; the mandibles yellow, rufescent at their apex. The thorax black, delicately punctured, slightly shining ; the dorsolum with two central parallel impressed lines at its base terminating towards the disk ; the metathorax quite smooth and shining at the base in front, in the centre of which there is a slight variole and a deep fossulet commencing about its centre, and extending to the apex ; the sides covered with a sericeous down, and at the sides of the base sometimes very delicate longitudinal striae ; the tubercles yellow-testaceous ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings iridescent, the nervures piceous ; the an- terior and intermediate legs entirely yellow, excepting the base of the femora only, which are piceous, and a piceous patch inside of the intermediate tibiae, the posterior pair black, with the apex of their coxae and base of the tibiae yellow, their tarsi piceous ; the intermediate and posterior tibiae spinose. The abdomen red, with the petiole (except its margin) and the base of the first segment, black, and the fifth segment generally piceous, sometimes the third segment only red, and the margin of ail piceous 5 . The $ differs in having the sixth joint of the antennas eraar- ginate, and all the joints slightly coloured above ; the anterior portion of the metathorax very delicately longitudinally striate, extending in the form of a semicircle from the base, beyond which it is delicately punctured, a central longitudinal impres- sion extending its whole length, and connected with the fossulet observed in the $ , and more pubescent about the same part ; the margin of the second segment, and base of the third only, red. S 2 in mv own and Rev. (i. T. Rudd's Collections. ISO CRABRONTD.E. t4't This species is found in the vicinity of London ; and the Rev. G. T. Rudd has taken it in the Isle of Wight, near Ryde. Genus XXII. — Stigmus. Jiir. Head subquadrate, the angles rounded, flattish on its superior surface in the $ , and convex in the $ , wider than the thorax in the $ , of about its width in the $ ; eyes oval, distant, lateral ; stemmata placed in an equilateral triangle far back upon the vertex ; antenncs inserted at the base of the clypeus, filiform, geniculate, the scape subclavate, the clavolet arcuate, with the joints cylindrical, excepting the pedicel, which is obconic ; clypeus rhomboidal, with the anterior edge emarginate ; labruni concealed; mandibles large, tridentate. Thorax oval; the mesothorax somewhat gibbous, truncated ; the collar trans- verse, with the angles acute ; the scutellum transverse, and the metathorax elongate, obtuse. Superior rvings with a very large lanceolate stigma, and one marginal cell, which becomes acuminated after the second submarginal, and two submarginal cells complete, the first twice the size of the second, and receiving near the middle the recurrent nervure, the second cell transverse ; the legs moderate, with a small pulvillus inserted in the furca of the bifid claw ; the posterior tibice with a few spines, and the anterior tarsi simple. Abdomen ellipsoidal, attached by a long linear petiole to the thorax, acuminate at the apex, the hypopygium in the $ produced beyond the podex, depressed, and obtuse at its extremity. Type, S. pendulus. Panz. ■\\.-\ This genus was created by Jurine in 1804, and named from the extraordinary size of the stigma of the wing. It was immediately adopted by entomologists ; but it is re- markable that both Latreille and Dr. Leach placed the Pemphredon (Diodontus) minutus with it, notwithstanding J urine's fio-ure. XXII. STIGMUS. 181 Sr. 1. PENDULUS. Panz. niger, mandibulis testaceis, pedibus anterioribus et tarsis poxl'wis ferrugineis. length 1^—3 lines. Panz. F. G. 14. 7; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 74. 1. Stigmus ater. Jurine, 139, pi. 9, g. 7 ; St. Farg. Ency. Meth. x. 493. Head smooth, with a longitudinal impression extending from the centre of the face to the anterior stemma ; the face very de- licately longitudinally striate ; the antennae with the basal joint piceous above and ferruginous beneath, the remainder of the joints also of the latter colour, slightly darker above ; the man- dibles testaceous, with their apex piceous, and the palpi tes- taceous. The thorax smooth ; the collar longitudinally striate ; the dorsolum with two slight, longitudinal, elevated lines in the centre at its base, extending to the middle of the disc, on each side of which it has also at the base a deep longitudinal abbre- viated impression; the epaulets of the tegulae consute, as well as the incisure which separates the scutellum from the dorsolum ; the scutellum itself sometimes with a central longitudinal im- pression ; the metathorax rugose, with the superior surface having a central longitudinal carina, and another on each side of it slightly curved ; the tubercles with a pale lunule ; the te- gulae testaceous; the wings iridescent, the stigma and nervures piceous, the recurrent nervure joining the first subraarginal cell at about two-thirds of its length ; legs black, entirely simple, with the anterior and intermediate tibiae and tarsi, and the pos- terior knees and tarsi, ferruginous. Abdomen black, smooth, and shining, attached to the thorax by a long petiole, which has a longitudinal carina running on each side, with the interstices shagreened $ . The $ differs in having the face covered with a silvery pubes- cence, and the parts, which are testaceous and ferruginous in the $ , yellow, with the exception of the tegulae, which are pi- ceous, and the exterior of the intermediate tibiae also piceous. 182 CRABRONlD.i:. and all the articulations of the legs ferruginous ; the margins of the segments of the abdomen frequently piceous. ^ 5 in my own Cabinet. t4-t This species has been taken at Coombe ; Mr. Walker takes it upon lime-trees and in windows near London ; and I have found it this year in Battersea Fields upon a red-currant bush infested by an Aphis. Genus XXIII. — Celia. Shuck. Head transverse, of about the width of the thorax; the stem- mata placed in an equilateral triangle, far back upon the vertex ; eyes lateral, oval ; antennt^ inserted on each side at the base of the clypeus, geniculated; /airM?w concealed; man- dibles simple, arcuate, in $ , bidentate at the apex in the $ . Thorax oval, gibbulous ; collar transverse, angles acute ; scutellum transverse ; metathorax elongate, truncated, its su- perficies having a cordate enclosed space ; superior- wings with a very large ovate stigma, the marginal cell of the usual form, the first suhmarginal cell nearly twice as large as the second, which is square, the recurrent nervure anastomoses, with the first transverso-cubital ; legs slender, simple. Abdomen subsessile, ovato-conic. Type, C. troglodytes. V, d. Lind. f^^-f- The name of this genus is derived from xvjXjj, which is synonymous with stigma. I have separated it from the preceding, both on account of the different neuration of the wings and its general difference of habit. Sp. 1. troglodytes. V. d. Lind. niger, pedibus piceis, tar sis p)osticis ferrugineis. $ naso, clypeo et mandibulis flavis. length \\ — If lines. Sligmus troglodytes. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 74. 2. Head black, delicately punctured ; antenna; black, with the XXIII. CELIA. 183 scape and pedicel ferruginous or piceous (sometimes entirely black) ; a carina running in the middle of the face from the base of the clypeus, half way to the vertex, where it becomes an impressed line extending to the anterior stemma. Thorax punctured; the collar longitudinally striate ; scutellum quadrate, the incisure at its base consute ; the metathorax having a longitudinal carina on each side of the centre of its superior surface, which is enclosed by an elevated ridge, the interstices transversely striate ; the tegulae testaceous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent, with the stigma and nervures black ; the legs black, with the anterior tibiae and tarsi, the apex of the intermediate tibiffi, and the whole of their tarsi, as well as the posterior ones, ferruginous, sometimes the intermediate and posterior tibiae are of the same colour, and sometimes the tarsi only are piceous ; the tarsi and tibiae entirely simple. The abdomen subsessile, black, smooth, and shining ; the margins of the segments sometimes piceous $ . The S differs in having the nasus very much produced, and bright yellow, as well as a large lobe on each side of it, extend- ing half way up the inner orbits of the eyes, sometimes merely the apex of the nasus, and the lobe within the eyes very small ; the clypeus and mandibles also yellow, the latter with their apex piceous ; the antennae piceous, their scape and pedicel testaceous, the former yellow beneath, and those portions of the legs testaceous or yellow-testaceous which are ferruginous or piceous in the $ . ^ 5 in my own and other Cabinets. •f^f Mr. Walker has taken this species in the same lo- cality with the preceding, and also in the Isle of Wight. Mr. Stephens took it frequently in his windows at the Hermitage, South Lambeth, Mr. Westwood has taken it at Coombe, and I found a single ? this year (1836) at Battersea. 184 CRABRONID.E. b. Mandibles strong, dentate ; two recurrent nervures. Genus XXIV. — Diodontus. Curt. Head large, subquadrate, of the width of the thorax ; eyes oval, very distant, placed at the sides of the head ; antennce geni- culated, a little longer than the head, and inserted at the base of the clypeus, not approximated; the scape obconic, the second joint subglobose, the rest cylindrical, very slightly in- creasing, sometimes subserrate in the males within ; the clypeus transverse, tridentate ; labrum emarginate ; the mandibles bi- dentate. Thorax oval ; the collar transverse, linear ; the scutellum transverse, lunulate ; the metathorax short, obtuse ; the superior wings with one marginal cell narrowing beyond the second submarginal, and two submarginal cells, the first oblong, receiving towards its end the first recurrent nervure, the second forming an isosceles triangle, truncated at its apex, and re- ceiving the second recurrent nervure ; the legs moderate, slight, frequently spinose. The Abdomen subsessile, ovato-conical ; the terminal segment in the $ constricted at its apex into an acute upcurved spine. Type, D. tristis. V. d. Lind. tit The etymology of this genus is Aj, two, and oSovroa;, to furnish with teeth, from the emargination of the labrum. Mr. Curtis has taken the details from the Pemphredon tristis, which he incorrectly makes synonymous with the Psen pallipes of Panzer ; this therefore is his type, although, in illustration of the genus, he figures a different and new species, which, according to my view, belongs to a distinct genus, and I consequently separate it as such, and form of it, with two others, one of which is the Pemphredon insignis of Vander Linden, the genus Passaloecus. Latreille, in his * Precis,' evidently makes a species of the present genus the type of his genus Pemphredon, but in his ' Genera' he places it in the genus Siigmus, and by his generic de- XXIV. DIODONTUS. 185 scription treats the P. lugiibris as the type of the genus Pemphredon, which subsequently always remained as such in his works. He no wheie mentions the emargination of the labrum, or the processes which arm the clypeus, in the first species of the present genus. Sp. 1. MiNUTUs. Fab. ater, viandihulis lute'is, basi ct ap'ice nigris. length l\ — If lines. Curtis, Brit. Entomology, folio 496. Crabro minutus. Fab. Ent. Sys. 2. 302. 32. Pemphredon minutus. Fab. Piez. 316. 9 ; St. Farg. Ency. M6th. 10. 48. 2. 2 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 78. 2. Cemoinis minutus, Jurine, 214. Stigmus minictus. Latr. Gen. 4. 84. Head black, with scattered punctures ; clypeus with three dentations ; mandibles yellow, with their apex rufo-piceous. Thorax black, with some scattered punctures on the dor- solum, which has also two or three obsolete longitudinal impres- sions ; metathorax rugose, with a few longitudinal striae at its base ; tubercles of a yellowish white ; tegulae piceo-testaceous ; wings very slightly coloured, iridescent, the nervures black ; the legs black, with the anterior tibiae yellow, having a brown spot on the outside, their tarsi testaceous, the knees, apex of the tibiae and tarsi of the intermediate and posterior pairs, rufo- piceous ; the intermediate and posterior legs spinose, and the anterior tibiae slightly ciliated. The abdomen black, slightly pubescent, and delicately punc- tured ? . The $ differs in having the face in front covered with a silvery pubescence, and the underside of the antennae from the pedicel yellow, with only the margins of the joints black, and having that yellow which in the legs of the female is testaceous and rufo-piceous, the extreme joints of the intermediate and posterior tarsi being testaceous, and the first joint of the an- 186 rUABRONID.T:. terior tarsi much bent, and of the intermediate pair dilated ex- ternally towards tlie extremity, where it is pectinated. ^ $ in my own and other Cabinets. i4f Mr. Westwood possesses a remarkable specimen of the S of this insect, in which the head is nearly as wide again as the thorax. This species is common. Sp. 2. LUPERUS. N. Sp. ater, incisuru inter dorsolum ct scutellum simpUcc. length IJ— 21 lines. Head black, punctured, chiefly on the face, less so on the vertex ; a short longitudinal impressed line between the anterior stemma and the centre of the face ; the mandibles entirely black. The thorax black, with a few scattered punctures ; three longi- tudinal elevated obsolete lines extending down the centre from the base of the dorsolum ; the incisure which separates the scutellum from the dorsolum with only a central division, or quite plain ; the metathorax very short, longitudinally striated at its base, and rugose beyond ; the pectus smooth or merely slightly punctured ; the wings slightly coloured, iridescent at their extremity ; the legs black, the anterior tibiae with more or less yellow running down the front, their apex rufo-fuscous, as well as all the tarsi ; the intermediate and posterior tibiae very spinose, and the anterior tarsi slightly ciliated. The abdomen minutely punctured, subpubescent, with the margin of the last two segments piceous $ . The $ differs in having the anterior tibiae and tarsi yellow, the former with a longitudinal piceous stain behind ; the knees, apex of the tibiae and tarsi, except their apical articulations, flavo-rufescent. ^ $ in my own Cabinet. ^--l-t f his^ species is very distinct both from the preceding XXIV. DlOnONTUS. 187 and the succeeding ; in size it is intermediate between the two. It appears to have been hitherto overlooked or mixed with the following species, from which it differs in the sculpture of the incisure between the dorsolum and scutellum, and also in size ; it appears to be not uncommon, Sp. S. TRisTrs. V. d. Lind. ater, hic'isaru inter dorsolum et .scutellum consutd. length 2i— 3i lines. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 76. 1. ? Pemphredon miinitus. $ St. Farg. 10. 48. 2. Head black, shining, punctured, more thickly so on tlie face ; mandibles rufescent at their apex. Thorax black, shining, subpubescent ; the dorsolum with a few scattered punctures, and having an impressed longitudinal line on each side forming a kind of epaulet to the tegulae, and somewhat slightly longitudinally striated down its centre, occu- pying about the third of its superficies, in some the striae are seen only at the base and apex ; the deep incisure that separates the dorsolum from the scutellum consute ; the pectus transversely wrinkled ; the scutellum very shining, with a very few scattered punctures, and sometimes having a longitudinal line in its centre ; the metathorax very rugose ; the wings iridescent, with their nervures piceous, and a dark cloud about their middle ; the legs black, with the tarsi sometimes nigro-piceous, or a shade lighter, but generally black ; the calcaria testaceous ; the an- terior tarsi very slightly ciliated, and the intermediate and pos- terior tibiae spinose. The abdoinen black, ovato-conic, subpubescent, and very minutely punctured $ . The $ differs in having the head and thorax more deeply punctured ; the striae of the dorsolum obsolete ; the legs, with the anterior tibiae in front, and their tarsi, entirely yellow ; the intermediate and posterior tibiae yellow-testaceous, with the ex- ception of an irregular spot in front, which sometimes encircles it I8tf crabronid.t:. in a ring ; tlieir tarsi of the same colour, with their terminal joints piceous ; the legs less spinose than in the $ . ^ 5 in my own Collection. fit This species, which was first described by V. d. Lin- den, is tolerably common at Highgate. Panzer's synonyme certainly belongs to the S of Psen atratus. Genus XXV. — Passalcecus. Shuck. Head subglobose, wider than the thorax ; eyes lateral, ovate ; stemmata placed in a triangle on the vertex near the forehead ; antenncs inserted at the base of the clypeus, not approximate, the scape obconical, the pedicel subglobose, the joints of the clavolet cylindrical ; clypeus transverse, convex, marginate in front, where it is slightly produced and tridentate, or merely obsoletely so ; lahrum entire, triangular or semicircular ; m«n- rfi6/es gradually widening towards the apex, where they are bi- or tridentate, in the former case the inner tooth is molar. Thorax sublinear ; collar transverse, slightly constricted into a short neck ; 5cwie//Mm transverse, lunate ; metalhorax elon- gate, obtusely truncated at its extremity ; the superior wings with one marginal cell acuminate beyond the second suhmarginal and two suhmarginal cells, the first oblong receiving the first re- current nervure near its extremity, the second transverse, slightly narrowed towards the marginal cell, and receiving the second recurrent nervure about its centre ; the legs moderate, slender, simple. The Abdomen elongate, subsessile, the second seg- ment constricted slightly at its base, as also the third, but less so ; the terminal segment in the $ produced into an upcurved spine. Type, P, insignis. V. d. Lind. Ht I called this genus Xyloecus in my table, in refer- ence to its dwelling in wood, and it was printed before I discovered that Serville had used the same for a genus of XXV. PASSALCECUS. 189 longicorn beetles ; he consequently has tlie priority, and my original name must necessarily be changed ; it may there- fore stand as Passalcecus, which has nearly the same sig- nification, viz. T:u(j(Ta\oQ, a stake or jmling, and oixoj, a house, from their burrowing in palings, &:c. Mr. Curtis included two of these insects in his genus Diodontus, and the obser- vations under that genus and under Pemphredon may be referred to, in explanation of my reasons for having still further subdivided them. Sp. 1. iNsiGNis. V. d. Lind. ater, mand'ihul'is jmlpisque Jlavis, cornicido inter antennas ohso- leto J ; jwrrecto $ . length 2i— 3 lines. Pemphredon insignis. V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 79. 3. 5 only. Viodontus insignis. Curtis's Brit. Ent. folio 497. Head black, thickly punctured ; an impressed longitudinal line extending from the anterior stemraa to the middle of the face ; the clypeus transverse, convex, marginate in front, and obsoletely tridentate ; the labrum triangular ; antennte black, with the scape beneath cream-coloured ; the mandibles cream- coloured, with their apex ferruginous and tridentate ; the palpi yellow, except the outside of their basal joints. Thorax black, delicately punctured, shining ; the epaulets of the tegulae consute, a longitudinal scratch on each side parallel with the middle of the epaulet, and a longitudinal deep impres- sion on each side within the scratches, extending from the base of the dorsolum to its disk, where it gradually becomes obso- lete ; the scutellum delicately punctured ; the metathorax very rugose and obtusely truncate at its extremity ; the tubercles white ; the tegulse testaceous, with their margins black ; the wings iridescent, the stigma large, the nervures piceous ; the legs black, with the articulations of the femora, their apex, and entire tibiae and tarsi, ferrusfinous. 190 cuarronid.t:. The abdomen black, as long as the head and thorax, finely punctured, subpubescent; the margins of the three first seg- ments constricted $ . The $ differs in having a short acute horn between the basal joints of the antennae ; the clypeus covered with a silvery pubes- cence, and those portions of the legs luteous which are ferru- ginous in the j , and the hypopygium produced into an acute upcurved spine. ,J 5 in my own Cabinet. f 4.t This species is not uncommon about palings, posts, and outhouses. I have not been able to detect its prey. The $ which V. d. Linden ascribes to it belongs to another species. Sp. 2. GRACILIS. Curt. ater, mandibulls macula laded, corniculo in utrisque sexibus deficiente, length 2-J— 2f lines. Diodontvs gracilis. Curtis 's Brit. Ent. Vol. 7. fol. 496. pi. 496. Head black, thickly punctured ; a longitudinal impression ex- tending from the anterior stemma to the middle of the face ; the scape of the antennas pale yellow in front ; the clypeus anteriorly marginate, the margin obsoletely tridentate ; labrum large, triangular, convex, with a central depression at its base ; mandibles with a broad pale yellow stripe, their apex ferruginous and bidentate, the inner tooth a molar ; the palpi piceous. The thorax black, thickly punctured, except the scutellum, which is very shiny ; the dorsolum with the epaulets of the tegulse consute, and a slight scratch parallel with the middle of the epaulet, a consute longitudinal line on each side towards the middle extending from the base to the apex, within which at the base there are two slight abbreviated elevated lines ; the meta- thorax rugose and shiny ; the tegulfe piceous ; the wings irides- XXV. PASSAr.CECUS. 191 cent ; the legs black, with the anterior pair within, their tarsi, and the knees and tarsi of the intermediate, rufescent, and a pale luteous ring at the base of the posterior tibiae. The abdomen very black and shiny ; and the margins of the first three segments constricted 5 . The ^ differs only in having a silvery pubescence on the face and clypeus ; the metathorax more rugose, and those portions, which are rufescent in the legs of the j , in this sex luteous ; and the ring at the base of the posterior tibiae pale yellow, as are also sometimes the tubercles. $ 5 in my own Collection. ^■\.-\ I have met with this species not uncommonly in Battersea Fields, and likewise at Highgate. Mr. F. Walker possesses a remarkable specimen of the $ , in which the first transverse cubital nervure is wanting on both sides. Sp. 3. CORNIGER. N. Sp. (iter, corniculo inter antennas porrecto 5 ; obsoJeto ^. length 2 — 3 lines. Head black, punctured, slightly shining ; an impressed line extending from the anterior stemma to the acute spine which stands in the centre of the face just above the insertion of the antennae, the scape of which is fulvous or rufescent, either entirely in front or at its base and apex merely ; the clypeus distinctly tridentate ; the central tooth the largest ; the labrum semicircular, convex ; mandibles tridentate, rufescent at the apex ; the palpi fulvous. The thorax black, punctured, slightly shining ; the epaulets of the tegulee consute, and a slight scratch parallel with their middle, a consute longitudinal line on each side towards the middle extending from the base to the apex, within which at the base there are two slight abbreviated elevated lines ; the meta- thorax very rugose ; the tegulae piceous ; the tubercles generally 192 CRABRONID.'E. whitish ; the wings iridescent, hyaline, but darkish towards their apical margin ; the legs black, with the knees of the anterior femora, their tibiae and tarsi, the base and apex of the inter- mediate tibiae and their tarsi entirely, and the base and apex of the posterior tibiae, fulvous. The abdomen black, witli the margins of the first three seg- ments constricted, especially the back of the two first 5 . The ^ differs by the obsolete or deficient tubercle of the face, the latter, as well as the clypeus, has a silvery pubescence ; the scape of the antennae entirely black ; the anterior tibiae in front merely, and the other portions of the legs, which in the $ are fulvous, here are luteous, excepting the apex of the posterior tibiae, which is black. ^j^ $ in my own Collection. f-j-f The marked differences of these three insects war- rant my considering them as distinct species, especially as my opinion is formed from a great number, which all agree. It is remarkable, that the horn in the centre of the face is found only, and that very conspicuously, in the $ of the in- signis ; in the $ it is not present, nor in either of the sexes of the gracilis ; but in the $ of corniger it is again very prominent, and only obsoletely present in the $ . What can be its use ? It is evidently not a sexual character, as the first and the last of these species have it in the opposite sexes ; and we find a somewhat similar appendage in both sexes of the Pemphredon {Ceratophorus) morio. I have hitherto detected nothing in its economy which at all leads even to a supposition. The species is not uncommon in Battersea Fields, where I have captured it upon a currant- bush infested by an Aphis. Genus XXV I.^— Pemphredon. Latr. Head large, subquadrate ; eyes small, ovate, placed at the lateral angles of the head ; the stemmala in a triangle on the XXVr. PEMPIIRF.DOK. 193 vertex ; the antennce geniculated, inserted at tlie base of the clypeus, but not approximate, subserrate in the $ ; clypeus transverse, the centre of its anterior margin produced, trun- cated, entire, and slightly reflexed ; the lahrum minute, trian- gular, entire (in P. morio very large) ; mandibles very strong, spoon-shaped and quadridentate at their apex (in P. morio $ bidentate). Thorax short, ovate, somewhat gibbous ; collar linear, almost concealed by the gibbosity of the dorsolum ; scutcUum transverse, lunulate ; the metathorax very gibbous ; the superior wings with one marginal and two submarginal cells, the first submarginal oblong, receiving the first recurrent nervure about its centre, the second submarginal square (in P. morio widest towards the marginal) receiving the second recurrent nervure near its commencement; the legs moderately long, slender, slightly spinose. The abdomen lanceolate, with a very long petiole, which viewed laterally is slightly curved and longer than the first segment of tlie abdomen (in P. morio only one half as long as the first segment), the last segment terminated by an acute spine in the $ , and canaliculated in the 2 . Type, P. lugubris. Fab. t-^t Ahe derivation of the name is 7rsjW.(pp>]8a;v, a flying insect, and was established by Latreille in his ' Precis,'' without naming any type ; but it may be presumed to have been a ,? of a species of the present genus Dio- dontus, from his description of the mandibles. In his next work, the ' Histoire,' vol. xiii. p. 325, in naming the genus Pemphredon, he does not describe the mandibles, but refers to the Crabro lugubris, Fab. — Sphex unicolor, Panz., as the ' best determined species of this genus.' In his ' Genera (which ought to be considered his final view, for in his last work, the ' Regne AnimaV of Cuvier, vols, iv. and v. he constantly refers to it), he describes the genus 194 CRAnKONlD.?".. Pemphredon as having spoon-shaped and quadridentate mandibles, and adduces the P. luguhris of his * Histoire' as the type, and refers the P. minutus (which he there for the first time states to have been the original type of his genus Pemphredon in the ' Precis'), to the genus Stigmus of Jurine, and makes it the first section of this genus. In the ' Nouveau Diction. d'Hist. Naturelle^ torn. xv. p. 151, 1817, he further confirms this, by stating that the mandibles of Pemphredon ' are stronger (in comparison with Stigmus), and dentate all along their inner edge : thus, therefore, although the original type of this genus was the Pemphredon {Diodontus) minutus, F. ; yet as Latreille subsequently changed his views, I necessarily follow the course he adopted, and consider the Crabro luguhris, F., as the true type of the genus Pemphredon. I have given this history of the genus in consequence of Mr. Westwood having, by a string of inaccuracies in a recent periodical,* introduced confusion where the course was exceedingly cleai-, and this is the more unfortunate, as they are pro- duced as an example in a paper on nomenclature, where the strictest correctness was requisite, and even addition- ally requisite, if such a condition be possible where ac- curacy is always indispensable, because he there corrects what he considers the inaccuracy of Mr. Curtis, but who is certainly right. I hope this will be read and understood in its proper sense, and not be misconstrued into invi- dious carping, as it is my wish to do uniform justice, without which, truth, which should be the great and para- mount object of us all, is unmercifully sacrificed. It is remarkable that St. Fargeau should not have subdivided * Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, No. 67, vol. 9, p, 565. XXVI. PEMPHUEDON. 195 this genus as it stands in Latreille, especially as he has more recently done so in Gorytes and Crabro upon much less justifiable considerations, which may be seen in the observations I have made under those genera. In follow^- ing out the alary system, which I consider the chief and best mode whereby the fossorial Hymenoptera may be naturally subdivided, I have been obliged to re-estabhsh Jurine's genus Cemonus, which St. Fargeau and V. d. Lin- den had suppressed, as also to form two new ones ; thus the insects which in Latreille, St. Fargeau, and V. d. Linden constitute the sections and subsections of one genus, I con- sider as forming five, viz. Diodontus, Passalcecus, Pem- phredon, Ceratophorus, and Cemonus ; and my views ap- pear to be confirmed by each genus containing species which agree precisely in habit, with the exception of the JR. morio of V. d. Linden, which stands solitary, but differs so considerably from the typical Pemphredon, that V. d. Linden must have separated it, at least from its contiguity to the P. luguhris, could he have examined it. The different form of its second submarginal cell, the shape of its head, the bidentate mandibles in the $, tubercle of the face, large labrum, short petiole of the abdomen, all combine to produce a very different habit, which agrees better with the genus Diodontiis, from which however it sufficiently differs, especially in the entire labrum and distinctly pe- tiolated abdomen ; in the tubercle of the face it resembles Passalcecus, in which however it is acute and not emar- ginate, and in the sculpture of the metathorax a Cemonus. Had I been acquainted with the insect before my table was printed, I should certainly have treated it as a genus, and which I now propose by the name of Ceratophorus, xsp«j, a horn, ^opoc, hearing, from the tubercle of its face. 196 t'UAI'.UONlD.E. Scctio 1. The petiole of tlie abdoir.en long ; the second sub- marginal cell square. Sp. 1. LUGUBRIS. Fab. ater, pnhescens, metathorace rugoso, margine ohliquk slriato, abdominis pctiolo longo. length 3^ — 5^ lines. Latr. Hist, Nat. 13. 325; Nouv. Diet, ^nd ed. 25. 151 ; Fab. Piez. 315. 2 ; St. Farg. Ency. Meth. 10. 48. 1 ; V. d. Lind. pt. 2. 80. 4. Crahro luguhris. Fab. E. S. 2. 302. 30. Sphex unicolor. Panz. F. G. 52. 24. Cemonus unicolor. Jurine, pi. 11. G. 28. liigubris. Jur. p. 214. Head black, pilose ; the face longitudinally and somewhat irregularly striate in front from the vertex to the clypeus, which have scattered punctures, those on the vertex decreasing towards the occiput ; the whole head loosely covered with long griseous hairs, which are longest on the clypeus, mandibles, cheeks, and occiput. The thorax black, opaque, pilose ; the dorsolum having three abbreviated, longitudinal, impressed lines in front, and two deeper ones on each side parallel with the centre of the epaulet of the tegulee ; the whole thorax very coarsely rugose, somewhat less in front of the dorsolum ; the metathorax having a semicircular space at its base enclosed by an elevated ridge at the verge of the truncation, and the truncation with a deep fossulet in its centre ; the pubescence is longest at the sides and apex of the metathorax, and towards the collar; the wings are coloured, slightly iridescent, with their nervures piceous, and a cloud fre- quently occupying the centre of their disk ; the legs somewhat hairy ; the anterior tarsi slightly ciliated ; and the intermediate and posterior tibiae subspinose. The abdomen black, pubescent, shining ; the petiole much longer than the remainder of the first segment, much curved, and its upper surface very coarsely punctured ; the pubescence is longest on the petiole and apical segments j . XXVI. PEMPHREDOX. 197 The $ differs only in having the face covered with a silvery pubescence, and the dorsolum appears coarsely punctured instead of rugose. ^ $ in my own and other Collections. f 4,f Very common, inhabiting posts and rails. It sup- plies its young with Aphides. I have never seen it con- struct its own cell, but consider it very probable, from the structure of its mandibles. Sp. 2. LUCTUOSUS. N. Sp. ater, pubescens, marg'mis inetalhoracis sutnmo tantum Icsvi, abdo- minis petiolo longo. length 3f lines. Entirely black : head very pubescent, deeply punctured and shining ; clypeus covered with a silvery down. Thorax very pubescent and punctured ; peristethium trans- versely wrinkled ; nnetathorax rugose, the subcordiform space at its base enclosed by an elevated smooth and very shining ridge ; wings hyaline, their nervures piceous. Abdomen having the petiole rugose, with a central longitudinal channel and longer than the remainder of the first segment, the terminal segments hirsute $ . $ in my own Collection. tl-j- The solitary specimen from which I have drawn the above description I took in Battersea Fields. Although unique, the remarkable difference in the sculpture of the metathorax admits of my considering it a distinct species ; for the value of this character is exemplified throughout the Fossores, in species where there is no lack of speci- mens to corroborate it, and in which it is never found to vary. 198 CRABRONIDiE. Sectio 2. The petiole of the abdomen short, the second sub- marginal cell widest towards the marginal. Sp. 3. MORio. V. d. Lind. ater, marginis metathoracis summo Icevi, abdominis petiolo brevi, length 2^—3 lines. V. d. Linden, pt. 2. 82. 5. Entirely black, head punctured, pubescent, shining ; an obtuse tubercle, slightly ernarginate at the apex, in the centre of the face, just above the insertion of the antennae, and the face on each side between it and the eyes very prominent ; the clypeus tridentate, the central tooth obsolete ; labrum large, prominent, triangular, convex, but canaliculated down the centre ; mandi- bles bidentate at the apex, where they are rufescent. The thorax pubescent, shining ; the sides of the pectus rugose ; the peristethium obsoletely transversely wrinkled, and a deep longitudinal depression down the centre, in the middle of which there is an elevated line ; metathorax rugose, excepting a broad, smooth, and shining margin to the subcordiform space ; wings hyaline, or but slightly tinged, the nervures piceous ; the second submarginal cell not so square as in the P. higubris, and widest towards the marginal cell ; legs entirely simple. The abdomen hirsute, especially the terminal segments ; the petiole very short, being about one half the length of the re- mainder of the first segment, rugose, canaliculated down the centre ; the extreme margin of the two or three last segments frequently piceous $ . The $ differs in the tubercle of the face being less obtuse and not emarginate, and in the mandibles being tridentate. 'i.(f^^a e-Z^j-^..;^^ 4^ e/'i/'e^'^-c-tSi J J^-^^/.^^.^ (j J^^^^??2^^^^ / &tu?^^.../^ c^' Z^M^ S ■^A?n/?^n,-<:?p4^'-^^ ^O t_y^y^:PCuo6C<^ 2o j^Y^ipo'jcy^/^ 2/ G Z^€3L-0-Z.^ 22 oy c^f^79^'-^^ (^Cc 2 J btyCccc 2 /f JZ t-oW-Ciyy^i^^ freol' Srr, 'TA .sc . ^/^. 2 S '^^a^^^^^^juux^ 2^ iMmyjJ^-^^c^^, 26 ' 6hrz^,J-€)^/j/^^--/'^-^^-<^ /^^e^/fJ'm//^^ so Order-HYMENOPTERA. Division II. ACULEATA. Latr, Tribe I. HETEROGYNA. Lair. Fam. 1. FORMICIDiE. Lea. Fam. 2. MUTILLID.E. Lea. Genus 1. MUTILLA. Un. 1 . Europsea. hin. $■ 2. calva. ViU. $' $• Genus 2. MYRJMOSA. Latr. 1. melanocephala. Fah. $■ ?. Genus 3. METHOCA. Latr. 1. ichneumonides, Latr. $■ $• Tribe II. FOSSORES. Latr. Fam. 1. SCOLIADiE. Leu. Genus 1. TIPHIA. Fab. 1. femorata. Fab. 2. mono. Fab. $■ 3. minuta. V. d. I.iud. $• Fam. 2. SAPYGIDiE. Lea. Genus 1. SAPYGA. Latr. 1. punctata. Kl. $■ .$• 2. clavicornis. Liti. $■ Fam. 3. POMPILIDiE. Leu. Genus 1. POMPILUS. Fab. 1 pulcher. Fab. $■ ?• 2. niger. Fa 6. ^• .. 2- 3. bifasciatus. Fab. $■ $• 4. vanegatus. Lin. $- ?. 5. petiolatus. V. d. L. ?• 6. cinctellus. Spin. $■ ?• 7. punctum. tab. $' $• 8. hyalinatus. Fah. $■ .?• 9. rufipes. lAn. $■ $• 10. notatus. Rossi. $■ $• 11. sencatus. Shuck. 3- ?• 12. viaticus. Lin. 13. gibbus. Lin. $■ . ?•• . 14. crassicornis. Shuck. 15. fuscus. Lin. 16. affinis. V. d. Lind. i- ?• 17. exaltatus. Fab. (?• ?■ 18. agilis. Shuck. ?>■ 19. fasciatellus. Spin. i- ?• Genus 2. CEROPALES. Lair, 1. maculata. Fab. $■ $• 2. variegata. Fah. Genus 3. APORUS. Spin. 1. bicolor. Spin. $■ ?• Fam. 4. SPHECIDiE. Lea. Genus 1. AMMOPHILA. Kir. 1. sabiUosa. Lin. (?• ?• 2. hirsuta. Scop, ^• . ?• 3. affinis. Air. $' 2- Genus 2. MISCUS. Jur. 1. campestris. Latr. ?• Genus 3. SPHEX. ^ur(. 1. flavipennis Fab. $' ?• Genus 4. DOLICHURUS. Lair. 1. corniculus. Spin. Fam. 5. LARRIDiE. iea. Genus 1. LARRA. Fab. 1. anathema, ilowi. $' 2- Genus 2. TACHYTES. Panz. 1. pompiliformis. Pad": 2. unicolor. Pans 2- Genus 3. MISCOPUUS. Jur. 1. bicolor. Jnr. $■ 2- Genus 4. DINETUS. Jtir. 1. pictus, Fa6. $■ 2- Fam. 6. NYSSONID^. Lea. Genus 1. ASTATA. Lutr. 1. boops. Schr. $■ 2- Genus 2. NYSSON. I«tr. 1. spinosus. Fah. $■ 2- 2. interruptus. Latr. $• 2- 3. trimaculatus. Rossi. ^■ 2- 4. guttatus. Oliv. ^'^ ^^- ^f^/ •::m'^