‘ } VAM ucts

BIOLOGIA

CENTRALI-AMERICANA.

INSECTA.

. HYMENOPTERA.

(FOSSORES.)

Vou. Il. *

BY

PETER CAMERON.

Kona: inseee-

1888-1900.

tae nae

CONTENTS.

Page . Page INTRODUCTION . . . . . + ee v CRABRONIDE. . . . . « « « « « IJ4l List or Purates. . . . . . . . .~ Vil PoMPILIDZ . ... .. ... ~ 158 Errata ET CORRIGENDA . . ... . xl SconIIpDE. . . 1 ee ew ww ww RR SpHEGIDH .......... 1 MurinuipE . . ww we ew ew ew ew RSD

AMPULICIDE. . . - - + + + ee 87 SuppLeMENT.—Sphegide. . . . . . 4038

LaRkIpE. . . . eee ele el eC Bembicide .... . 4038 Nyssonip# . . . . ss ew ee )CO6O Pompilide . ... . 408 BeMBICIDe . . . . ee ee OOM Mutillide . .. . . 404 PHILANTHIDA . . ... .. . + 104 InpExX. 2 2 eee ee ew ee 405 Mimesipz# ....... . « + 184 | Puates.

PeMPHREDONIDH . ... .- . + ~. 140 :

a2

INTRODUCTION.

In this Volume twelve Families of the section Fossores of the Hymenoptera Aculeata are dealt with—Sphegide, Ampulicide, Larride, Nyssonide, Bembicide, Philanthide, Mimeside, Pemphredonide, Crabronide, Pompilide, Scoliide, and Mutillide. It was commenced by Mr. Cameron in 1888 and concluded in 1896, a short Supplement having been added last year. Mr. H. H. Smith’s earlier collections of Fossores from Mexico, as well as those made in Yucatan by Mr. Gaumer, were fortunately received in time to be included, the additions subsequently sent not being very numerous. Hence, a much more varied material was available for study compared with what we had for Volume I. at the time of publication, and probably our enumeration in this case is relatively more complete. |

It is to be regretted that so many of the previously described Mexican Mutillide remain unrepresented or unidentified in our collection, and the same remark applies with still greater force to the Ichneumonide, dealt with in Volume I.

Altogether 711 species are enumerated, of which 391 are treated as new, the total number for each Family being as follows :—Sphegide, sixty-seven, with thirty-seven new; Ampulicide, two, with one new; Larride, fifty-two, with thirty-nine new; Nyssonide, thirty-two, with twelve new; Bembicide, twenty-six, with two new; Philanthide, fifty-four, with twenty-eight new; Mimeside, eight, all new; Pemphre- donide, three; Crabronide, twenty-four, with twenty-two new; Pompilide, 163, with seventy-eight new; Scoliide, fifty-nine, with twenty-seven new; Mutillide, 221, with 137 new.

Ep. August 1900.

LIST OF PLATES.

Plate. Fig. | Page. Plate. Fig. | Page. FOSSORES. Ammophila morrisoni (¢ genitalia)....} IT. 10 21 plcelventris ......... eee ee eee IT. 7 22 1.) ar II. 8 22 SPHEGIDE. Pelopceus ceementarius .............. II. 9 24 Ammophila miliaris ................ I. 1 3 118 9 (0 IT. 11 25 — (od genitalia) ............ I. la 3 || —— (o genitalia) ............ II. lla 25 sp.?, near miliaris (d genitalia) .. I. 6 4 || Chalybion zimmermanni ............ IT. 12 25 gaumeri (¢ genitalia) .......... II. 2 4 (od genitalia) ............ II. 12a 25 centralis 2.0... . eee ee eee eee I. 12 6 || Trigonopsis violaceus ..............-- II. 13 26 — (o genitalia) ............ I. 12a 6 || Podium albovillosum ................ IT. 14 aureo-notata ...........0.0 000. I. 11 7 || — (od genitalia) ............ IT. 146 — (od genitalia) ............ I. lla 7 || —— luteipenne .................6.. II. 15 —— ceres (¢ genitalia) ............ I. 10 8 || —— bugabense .............-0--00- Il. 16 —— xanthoptera* ................ I. 4 8 bellum ........ cece eee eee ee II 17 ——— championi .............. 2.00 ee I. 3 9 rufipes ..... ee eee eee eens IT. 18 —— alticolat (¢ genitalia).......... I. 9a 10 || Sphex erythroptera, 9 ...........6.. IIT. 1 —— trichiosoma (¢ genitalia)........ I. 13 11 || —— (do genitalia) ............ IIT. la picipes (¢ genitalia)............ IT. 4 11 || —— beata, Qo... ee eee eee eee III. 2 consors ( ¢ genitalia) .......... IT. 3 12 || —— (¢ genitalia) ............ ITI. 2a —— nigro-cerulea ........ 2. ee ee L 8 12 hirsuta, Qo... cece ee eee eee eee ITT. 3 —— montezuma ( ¢ genitalia)........ I. 15 13 || —— (oS genitalia) ............ III. 3a ——— COTA nce eee cece ce ne eee I, 18 14 || —— guatemalensis, 2 .............. III. 4 32 — (o genitalia) ............ I. 18a 14 || —— (od genitalia) ............ ITT. 4a 32 —— fragilis (¢ genitalia) .......... I. 5 15 || —— tinetipennis, @ ...........-.00- III. 5 32 —— gracilis . .... 0... . eee eee eee I. 7 16 chichimeca, G «1.1... se eee eee III. 6 33 — (o genitalia) ............ L 7a 16° || —— (o genitalia) ............ IIT. 6a 33 volcanica, Q 1... ee ee ee ee ewes I, 19 17 || —— singularis, J... ... eee eee eee ITI. 7 33 —— chiriquensis, 9 ................ I. 9 18 || —— ——(c4 genitalia) ............ III. 7a 33 ——— VaTIPES o.ee e eee ee I. 17 19 || ——ichneumonea, 9 .............. III. 8 34 —- (od genitalia) ............ I. 17a 19 || —— ar. IT. 8a 34 —— comanche ...........-.--..eee I. 14 19 || —— azteca, G ..... eee ce eee eee ITT. 9 35 —— montana (d genitalia).......... I. 2 20 } —— (od genitalia) ............ IIT. 9a 35 ——— jason, Qo. eee cece cence II. 1 20 || —— costipennis, ¢ ...... sess aeee III. 10 35 —— alpestris (d genitalia) .......... 1. 16 21 || —— robusta, J... eee ee ee eee ITI. 11 36 —- Lecce eee eee teens eens II. 5 21 || —— thoma, 2 ........ eee eee e ees III. 12 36 SOMOreNSIS .. wwe ee ee ee II. 6 21 |; —— (od genitalia) ............ III. 124 36

* Ammophila zanthoptera on the Plate.

t+ Ammophila chiriquensis on the Plate.

Vili LIST OF PLATES. Plate. | Fig. | Page. Plate. | Fig. | Page A Gorytes alticola .......... 00s ee eee V. 21 81 MPULICID A, —— alpestris........-- eee eee eee Vv. 22 83 Ampulex angusticollis, 2 ...........- III. 13 37 || —— (od genitalia) ............ Vv. 22¢ 83 (od genitalia) ............ III. 13 4 37 centralis, Q 1.2.2... eee ee eee VI. ] 84 Rhinopsis maculicornis, 2 ............ III. 14 38 || Mellinus pygmeus ..........-+ 000s V. 5 85 | alpestris.. 6.6... cece ee ee ee ees V. 6 85 Larripz. Trypoxylon cinereum, 2 ............ IV. 1 40 BewprcrpZ. (od genitalia) ............ IV. 16 40 || Sphecius speciosus, Q .....--. ee eee VI. 8 91 AZTECUM.. 6... ee eee ee eee IV. 2 41 || Steniolia * longirostra, Q .........--- VI. 10 92 —— fulvipes ........ 0... cece eee IV. 3 42 (od genitalia) ............ VI. 9 92 balteatum, QQ) .... eee eee IV. 4 43 scolopacea, So wees cette eee eeee VI. 11 94 apicipenne ........ 60... eee eee IV. 5 44 (¢ genitalia) ............ VIL lla 94 cinereo-hirtum ............006- lV. 6 44 || Bembidula discisa, 9 ...........5-+5- VI. 12 95 SONOFENSE .......... ee ee ee eee IV. 7 45 (od genitalia) ............ VI. 13 95 SPINOSUM ....... ee eee eee eee IV. 8 46 || —— variegata, Q ........ eee ee eee VI. 14 96 — (do genitalia) ............ IV. 8b 46 || —— burmeisteri, 2 .........- ee eees VI. 15 96 palliditarse .............0000. IV. 9 48 (od genitalia) ..........-. VI. 16 96 Larra godmani, 9 .............0000 IV. 10 49 || Monedula heros ...........0 0200 eeee VI. 21 98 rufitarsis (dg genitalia).......... IV. 11 50 surinamensis, Q .......-seeeee Vi. 23 98 Notogonia violaceipennis, 9 .......... IV. 12 51 signata (¢ genitalia) .......... VI. | 22 99 beata, Sk eee eee ee ee ee ee IV. 13 56 || —— punctata, Q ...... cece eee renee VI. 25 99 chrysura (d genitalia).......... IV. 14 57 (od genitalia) ...........-. VI. 24 99 —— argenticauda, ¢ ............6- IV. 15 58 || Bembex multipicta, Q ..........-+6- VI. 18 100 —— apicipennis, 9 .............08. IV. 16 58 (od genitalia) ............ VI. 17 100 — (od genitalia) ............ IV. 16a 58 || —— monodonta, G ......se eee eens VI. 20 101 panamensis ( ¢ genitalia)........ IV. 17 59 | —— (o genitalia) ............ VI. 20a| 101 Tachytes yucatanensis, ¢ ............ IV. 18 60 nubilipennis, Q .... eee ee eee VI. 19 101 guatemalensis ................ IV. 19 60 || Stizus agilisf..... 6. eee eee ee eee eee V. 8 102 andreniformis ............-.-. IV. 20 61 lineatus, Gwe eee ee ee ee ees V. 7 103 ornatipeS ........ cece eee eee IV. 21 62 flavus, Go... cee ee ee eee ee V. 9 103 ferrugineipes ( ¢ genitalia) ...... IV. 22 63 || —- (¢ genitalia) ...........- V. 9¢} 103 | Tachysphex rufomaculatus, 9 ........ IV. 23 64 | Astata albovillosa, 9 .............0.. Vv. 3 65 apicipennis ..............-6-- V. 1 66 PHILANTHIDE. kohli .......... 0. eee eee eee V. 2 68 || Aphilanthops marginipennis, d ...... VII. 1 105 alpestris.... 0... cee eee ee ee V. 4 69 punctifrons 22... cece eee eee VII. 2 106 Cerceris binodis, Q «1... ee ee eee eee VIE 3 107 & genitalia) ............ . é 107 Nyssonip a, toltecs, o° Loeveeaeeueeeeuneess vil. | 4 | 109 Gorytes bipunctatus ................ Vv. 11 71 strigosa, Q ww kee eee ee ee eee VIL. 5 110 fuscUS .... ieee eee eee V. 10 72 || —— maximiliani, 9 ..............6.6. VII. 6 111 maculipennis...............005 V. 12 73 geniculata, Q 6.1... ee eee eee eee VIL. 7 113 | —— punctifrons .................. V. 13 74 || —— chiriquensis, 9 ...........-005- VII. 8 114 fasciatipennis ................ V. 14 75 flavomaculata, 2 ...........0.- VII. 9 115 | —— mexicanus..................4. Vv. 15 76 Otomia, Qo... eee ee eee ee ee Vit. | 10 116 spilopterus, @ ................ V. 16 77 || —— marginata, Q ...- esse wesc eens VII. | 11 117 }——— montanus .................... V. 17 77 || —— mexicana, 9 ..........0- eee VII. | 12 117 — (o genitalia) ............ V. |176,c| 77 || ——— huastecw, 9 «1.1... .. cece ee eee VII. | 13 118 handlirschi ...............0.. V. 18 78 || -— semipetiolata, Q .............. VII. | 14 118 ——-fuscipennis ................-. V. 19 79 obsoleta, Q 2... eee eee eee eee VIT. | 15 118 balteatus .. 1... . eee ee ee eee V. 20 80 || ——-- montivaga, Q ....... cee e wees VII. | 16 119

* The name of this genus is incorrectly given as Steniola on the Plate. t Stizus godmani on the Plate.

LIST OF PLATES.

ix

Plate. Fig. | Page. Plate. Fig. | Page. Cerceris smithiana, 9 .............. Vil. | 17 119 subpetiolata, 9 ............065- VII. | 18 120 C —— truncata, Soo... eee eee eae VII. | 20 | 121 BABRORID 2. —- A VII. | 19 121 | Crabro saxatilis, 9 ........ ee eee IX. 1 142 ——imperialis, 9 ............024- VII. | 21 122 championi, Q .......-.0.. eee TX. 2 142 OSAU, Doc ecac cree cece cree eeee VIII. 1 123 atitlane, Q ow... eee ee eee IX. 3 143 acolhua, Go... cece eee ee VIII. 2 124 sonorensis, Q «ow... eee eee eee IX. 4 144 curvicornis, S ...... cee eee es VIL. 3 124 || —— montivagus, 9 ...... Lecce eas IX. 5 145 — (od genitalia) ............ VII. 3a| 124 | —— (od genitalia) ............ IX. 5a| 145. hebes .. 2... eee eee eee VIII. 4 124 centralis, 9 ........ ee ee ee ee IX. 6 146 | AZtECA eee eee ee VIII. 5 125 | —— (o genitalia) ............ IX. 6a| 146 tepaneca .. 1... eee ee ee eee VITl. 6 125 FC -) Os Oa IX. 7 147 erythropoda, 9 .............005 VITl. 7 126 | —— (od genitalia) ............ IX. 7a| 147 bicornuta, 9 ........0 eee ee eee VIII. 8 127 hector, Qo... cece eee eee eee IX. 8 147 —— pilosa, So... ee eee ee eee VIII. 9 128 costaricensis, Q .......... ee ee IX. 9 148 sonorensis (¢ genitalia) ........ VIII. | 10 129 constance®®, Q ...... ee eee eee IX. 10 149 Philanthus vertilabris, ¢ ............ VIII. | 11 131 | —— (od genitalia) ............ IX. 10a| 149 xanthostigma, 9 ............6- VITL. | 12 131 || ——— guerrerensis, 2 ................ IX, 11 150 maculifrons, g .........e cece VIII. | 13 132 yucatanensis, Q ........-..... IX. 12 150 —— multimaculatus, ¢ ............] VIlt. | 14 133 Montezuma ........ cece eee TX. 13 151 . ar 89, || —— alpestris, J... cece eee eee IX. 14 152 * 9 9 mexicanus* (d genitalia) ...... VI. 56 { 133 alticola ( $ genitalia, &c.)........ IX. 15 152 2 VI 6 89, peltista ..... cece eee eee IX. 16 153 PF ees ° 133 || —— (o genitalia) ............ IX. 16a| 1538 : f{ 90 fulvohirtus..............0000. IX. 17 153 * p) punchifrons*, So w+ ++ sees sere ve | 7 { 133 maculitarsis, Q.........0. 0000. Ix. |18 | 154 eer 90, Jason, Gow eee ee eee eee eee eee IX. 19 155 | (d genitalia) ............ Vi. va | 133 || Oxybelus bugabensis ................ IX. 20 156 ae * 87 longispina ............ eee eee IX. 21 157 hirticeps®, So sseeee sess eee ees vi | 2 { 134 aztecUS .. 6... eves e cece eee es Ix. | 22 | 187 (g gonitalia) .........0.. VI. 2b | iB , argenteopilosus ................ IX, 23 158 maculiceps*, ¢ .......--- ee VI. 3 { Be Pompiipa. “Lats 88, || Ceropales agilis, 9 6... wee ee eee X. 1 158 —— —— (¢ genitalia) ............ VI | 3a { 134 anteca, 2 ......csec sce c eee ee x. | 2 | 159 “ys 88, fumipennis ( ¢ genitalia) ........ X. 3 160 Bracilis™, J ves esses ee ee seen Vi. 4 {134 chiriquensis ....... 0 .. eee eens X. 4 160 one 88, apicipennis (¢ genitalia, &c.)....; X. 65 161 (d genitalia) ............ VI. 46 { 134 || Pseudagenia cressoni ...............- X. 6 161 curvinervis ..........00e eee X. 7 162 incognita, 9 ..... eee eee eee eee X. 8 163 Mrwusrp x. MONtIVAGA ... eee eee eee ee ee X. 9 164 Mimesa mexicana, 9 .............05. VIII. | 15 184 gentilis 2.6... ce ee ee ee ee ee xX. - | 10 165 pulchra, Qo... eee eee ee eee VIII. | 16 135 || —— isthmica, 9 .......0... eee X. 11 165 —— striolata, 9 wo... cece ee ee eee VOI. | 17 136 championi, Q .... ce ee eee eee X. 12 166 longiventris, 9... ... cece eee VIII. | 18 137 tolteca .. cc. eee eee X. 14 167 monticola, 2 ...... ec eee ee ees VIII. | 19 137 Collina, Go... eee eee eee eens X. 13 167 -claviventris, 9 ........--..005. VITI. | 20 139 perdita ...... 0. cee cee eee X. 16 168 Psen annulipes, ¢ .......0.-00-0eee. VIII. | 21 139 extrema... ......6+ eee eens X. 15 169 ——— teape............. eee en eee X. 17 169 melanocephala, 9..... eaten ee’ X. 18 172 PEMPHREDONIDE. tabascoensis, Sw. we ee ee eee eee X. ly 172 Stigmus podagricus, 9 .........-.... VIII. | 22 140 —— (do genitalia) ............ X. 9a; 172 montivagus, 9 ...........ee ee VIII. | 23 141 || Salius neotropicalis, 9 .............. X. 20 | 174.

* The generic name of these species is given as Philanthocephalus on the Plate.

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II., August 1900.

x LIST OF PLATES,

Plate. Fig. | Page. Plate. Fig. | Page, Salius velox, 9 ....... * vee e eee eeae X. 21 175 || Tiphia elegans ........ 00. ec cee ae XII. 16 240 omiltemius ...........02c eee X. 22 176 | Myzine fulviceps ........ eee ee ceeeel MID 20 248 trifasciatus, So. cee ee eee ees X. 23 177 pulchriceps, S .... 1... cece eeee XII, | 21 249 — (do genitalia) .......... af XX 23a) 177 | —— Dee eee XIL, | 22 249 TUfOSPINA 2.6... eee ee eee eee X. 24 177 sexmaculata ........ sec e eens XII. | 19 251 smithi ...... eee cece ee eee X. 25 179 || —— pulcbrina ............ cece eee XITL. | 18 254 alpestris.. 2.2... eee eee ee eee X. 26 179 | ——— montivaga ........ cc ee eee ee XII. | 15 255 — (od genitalia) ............ X. 26a 179 | —— ornaticeps .......... 0. ce eee ee XIT. 24 256 guatemalensis ...............- X. 27 180 rufiventris ..... 0... e eee ee eee XII. | 23 258 | centralis 2. ....... eee eee XI. 1 180 . Nivalis vo... eee eee eee ee ees XI. 2 182 . MEXICANUS .. 2... eee eee eee XI. 3 183 . Morieirp2. rogersi (cd genitalia) ......... XI. 4 183 | Mutilla arguta, 9 .... ... ee. eee eee XIII. 2 262 dolichocerus ............+0005- XI. 5 183 rufofemorata, 2 -........e0000- XIII. 1 264 — (od genitalia) ............ XI. 5a| 183 | ——cyllene, d....... ‘beet ewes eens XII. 4. 266 morelosensis (3 genitalia) ...... XI. 6 184 || —— (d genitalia) ............ XIII. 9) 266 VETHPACIS 6... ee eee eee eee ee XI. 7 184 || —— QD eee cle ccc e cence XIII. 6 266 Pompilus eubule...............200-- XI. 8 187 || —— confusa, Q ........-. ce eee ee XIII. 8 268 (Aporus) smithianus........ or © 9 191 | —— dedala, Q.................04. XIII. 9 269 montezuma ........ eee eee ee XI. 10 193 impudica, 9 ...........0. 00 eee XII. | 11 270 ZAPOtECUS ....... eee eee eee XI. 1l 193 || —— subrobusta, 2 ........ 0.05005 XIII. | 10 271 pulchrinellus ...............005 XI. | 12 194 hogel, Qo... cece ee cece ee eee XIII. | 18 274 alticola ...... ce ee ee ce eee XI. 13 194 porcata, Q, var. oo... eee eee XIIT. 7 275 10) A (1: XI. 14 195 gaumeri, Q 1... . eee eee ee ee XIII. | 12 276 interstitialis .................. XI | 15 195 || —— amule (¢ genitalia)............ XIII. 3 277 —— imperialis .. 0... ce eee eee XI. 16 196 || —— exacta (¢ genitalia)............ XIIl. | 20 278 _—— championi............ bese eee XI, 17 196 || —— connexa(<¢ genitalia) .......... XIII. | 21 279 omiltemensis .......... 0.0 cee XI. 18 197 || —— orthona (¢ genitalia) .......... XIII, | 26 288 —— philadelphicus ................ XI. 19 197 || —— thura (¢ genitalia) ............ XIII. | 19 289 leona 2... eee ee cece eee eee XI. | 20 198 forreri ( ¢ genitalia)............ XIII. | 24 290 VCT@PACIS 2.6... ee ee ete eee eee XI. 21 200 chroma (¢ genitalia) .......... XIII. | 22 291 —— chiriquensis .................. XI. 22 201 championi, Q 2... .. eee eee XI. | 13 296 OXACHUS oo... eee ee ee ee ee eee XI. 23 202 teape, Qe iccececececeveracs XIII. | 17 296 boucardi .......... 0.00002 ee XI. 24 204 tolteca, Qo... cece cece eee ee XIII. | 14 297 apiculatus ........ 0. cece eee eee XI. | 25 205 bugabensis, 9 ...........0.08 XIII. | 23 299 subargenteus.............0.00- XI. | 26 205 triangularis, 9 ....... eee ee eee XIII. | 27 300 flavopictus........ ee. ce eee XI. 27 210 pantaleone, 9 1... . eee eae XIII. | 25 300 GOITIdUS .. 2. ee ee eee XI. | 28 211 chiriquensis, 9 ............00ee XIII. | 28 301 Notocyphus violaceipennis............ XII. 1 213 odontophora, do... ee eee eee XII. | 30 304 Pepsis guatemalensis ................ XII. 2 216 || —— (od genitalia) .......... ..| XI | 31 304 antennalis..........0c cece eee XII. 3 217 Culta, Sw. eee eee ee ee eee XIII. | 15 305 montezuma ......... eee eee eae XII. 6 217 ||; —— (o genitalia) ............ XIII. | 16 305 occidentalis .......:....-. eee XII. 5 218 pomona, Sw... eee eee ee eee XIII. | 29 306 TUDTA .. kee ce ee ee tees XII. 7 218 herberti, ¢ ........ ee ee eee ...| AIT | 82 308 charon ........ Decne eee e eens XIT. 4 220 || —— (do genitalia) ........... .| XIE. | 33 308 VONUSA 6. ee eee eee ee eee XII. 9 221 || Spherophthalma respublicana, 9? ...... XIV. 1 314 ravula, Q ...... cece ecw ee cee XIV. 5 314 jocularis, 9 ow... see eee eee XIV. | 3 315 Scoumip.x. inimica, 9... sss. se esse XIv. | 2 | 318 Scolia fervida ........ cece cece eee XII. | 17 223 beata, Q ve ke cece cece eee ees XIV. 4 319 SAUSSUTCL 1.2... eee ee eee .--{ XID 9 226 Caltha, QO Lo... ee ee ee eee eee XIV. 6 319 Elis vitripennis ...... ..... eee eee -| XID. | 10 227 euryclea, Ow. ee eee cee eee ee XIV. 7 320 regina, Sw... eee eee eee eee XII, | 11 228 animosa, Q ...... eee cence «| XIV. 8 320 — 9 Qe cece cece cece eee eee XII, | 12 228 damia, Qo... ee eee cece eee XIV. 9 321 albofimbriata.........,....008. XII. | 13 229 extinctor, Q ...... cece ee eee XIV. | 10 322 MEXICANA ...e cee ee ee eee eee XT, 14 232 amphissa, 9 ...... cece ce eccees XIV. | 11 325 Epomidiopteron aureohirtum.......... XII. 8 235 lycimnia, 9 ........ 6. cee eee XIV. | 13 327

LIST OF PLATES.

xi

Plate. Fig. | Page. Plate. Fig. | Page. Sphzrophthalma phedyma, 9 ........ XIV. | 15 327 || Spherophthalma subgracilis, 9 ..... « XIV. | 21 339 |.

xanthocerata, 9 ......2+.. sees XIV. | 14 330 cephalica, 9 2.0... . eee eee eee XIV. | 22 340 Ipsea, QL. eee eee eee XIV. | 16 331 || —— ludovica, 9 .............2.05. XIV. | 24 342 areta, 2 .......... vee ee eee .| XIV. | 12 332 minutoria, Q 6... eee ee ee eee XIV, | 26 343 | cleonica, Q we. eke eee ee ee eee XIV. | 17 333 excentrica, C6... ee ee eee eee ee XIV. | 25 345. sonorensis, Q 6... ee ee ee ee eee XIV. | 18 335 | —— (od genitalia) ............ XIV.. | 25a; 345 munda, 9.6... cece eee eee eens XIV. | 19 337 jaliscoensis, Goo... cece eee eee XIV. | 23 346 chontalensis, 9 .........2 00 wees XIV. | 20 337 volatilis, ow. k eee eee eee eee XTV. | 27 347

401

ERRATA ET CORRIGENDA.

Line 32 for zanthoptera read xanthoptera. 22 for convential read conventional.

18 for panamensis read chiriquensis: the name panamensis has been used for two different species of Salius ; it is necessary therefore to change

one of them. 24 for with read without.

BIOLOGIA CENTRALI-AMERICANA.

ZOOLOGIA.

Class INSECTA.

Order HYMENOPTERA.

ACULEATA.

Under the designation of ‘ Aculeata’ are included the Hymenoptera commonly called Wasps, Ants, and. Bees, the other section of the Order with petiolated abdomen being called ‘ Terebrantia.’ As a matter of fact I do not see how any clear line of demarcation can be drawn between the ‘ Aculeata’ and the ‘ Terebrantia,’ nor am I sure that they can be separated by any one structural character. It is doubtful if Hartig’s divisions of ‘ Ditrocha’ and ‘ Monotrocha’ can be looked upon as altogether satisfactory ; for, like most classifications based upon a single character, it would separate groups which agree in many points to place them near those with which they agree in one only. |

The Aculeata include four more or less clearly defined sections—the ‘ Fossores,’ ‘ Diplopteryga,’ ‘ Heterogyna,’ and the ‘ Anthophila.’

Section FOSSORES.

This section contains the sand- and wood-wasps and the Mutillide. From the ‘ Heterogyna’ (Ants) they are recognizable by the abdominal petiole having neither scales nor nodes, in which respect they agree with the ‘ Diplopteryga’; the ‘ Fossores,’ in fact, only differ from the latter in the wings not being folded longitudinally in repose.

Fam. SPHEGIDA.

This family is tolerably well defined by the neck-like prothorax, the hinder angles of which do not reach to the tegule, and by the smooth, cylindrical petiole. BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. IL., October 1888. BB

2 HYMENOPTERA.

In this and the following families I have had figured by Mr. William Chaffers the © male genital organs wherever these exhibit any specific distinctions; for it must be recollected that they do not vary to the same extent in all families. When they do differ their form affords most valuable aid in discriminating the species; and in my opinion they should be figured whenever possible. In the various families the male organs vary exceedingly, to such an extent that in some of them it is not easy at first to trace the homologous parts.

For taxonomical purposes we may distinguish three distinct parts :—

1. The basal piece, or cardo. This does not show much variety in form, though not always of the same length or breadth.

2. The forceps, or stipes. This is the outer piece, and shows very great variation in form and clothing. It divides itself into three, or in some cases four, parts :—

a. The branch, which is the outermost portion, and, as often as not, bears hairs or bristles. It is sometimes one-, sometimes two-jointed, the second joint being formed by the separation of the top from the basal part; and usually takes the form of a palpiform articulation, to which the name of lacinia has been given.

6. The volsella, which is in most families a very characteristic piece. It is some-

- times broad, flat and lobe-like, sometimes cylindrical. .

c. The tentaculum, or pincers of Dufour. This is not invariably present. When it is, it assumes different forms—round, broad, or palpiform; and the apex some- times ends in a spoon-shaped process, surrounded with hairs, and sometimes terminates in a beak or hook. ’

3. The sagitte, or hamuli; the “ baquettes cornées” of Dufour. These are the central pair of organs, and have the penis placed between them; but the latter can seldom be observed. The sagitta, like the other parts, has a particular form in the various families, and terminates in teeth or hook-like processes. At its base is a kind of envelope—the spatha or “ fourneau de la verge” of Dufour.

In the Sphegide the male armature is rather characteristic. The branch of the forceps is stout, flattish, broad or narrow at the base, and becomes narrowed at the top, where it, as a rule, curls over the sagitte. It is but seldom two-jointed, and frequently is pilose at the top, and sometimes at the middle. The volsella is characteristic; it is flat and broad, and towards the apical two thirds on the inner side it becomes narrowed from the inner to the outer side into a more or less fine point. The tentaculum is narrow, but not cylindrical ; it usually reaches near to the top of the volsella, and ends in a variably-shaped organ, which, however, generally takes the form of a beak, hook, or spoon-shaped process. The sagittee project above the volsella; they are narrow, and terminate in a lobe-like process, which frequently bears a hook.

AMMOPHILA. 3

AMMOPHILA.

Ammophila, Kirby, Trans. Linn. Soc. iv. p. 195 (1798). Psammophila, Dahlbom, Hym. Eur. i. p. 16 (1843).

All the species known from our region are typical Ammophila or Psammophila, which latter differs merely from Ammophila in the form of the petiole. The genus is a very extensive one, and contains a large number of representatives from all parts of the world. The species frequent hot sandy districts, and provision their nests with caterpillars.

The male armature is tolerably uniform, that of A. miliaris and A. aureo-notata being the most aberrant. The tentaculum is beak-shaped, or an elongated triangle. The outer lobe of the volsella is long and narrow. ‘The sagittee are not much dilated at the apex, and bear a long, thin, whip-shaped process, which is usually folded across.

I. Petiole composed of two joints. (Species 1-28.) A. Abdomen bluish-black, without red. (Species 1-8.) a. Mesothorax punctured. (Species 1-5.)

{ 1. Ammophila miliaris. (Tab. I. figg.1; la, ¢.) Nigra, opaca, breviter fusco-villosa; thorace capiteque argenteo-pilosis ; alis fuscis vel violaceis; 2 clypeo fere truncato, ¢ acuminato. Long. 12-15 millim.

Hab. Guatemata, San Gerénimo (Champion); Panama, Bugaba 800 to 1500 feet, Volcan de Chiriqui, David (Champion).

Head opaque, with some scattered shallow punctures, which are more numerous on the face and more especially on the clypeus; the front ocellus separated from the posterior ocelli by less than half the space between these; vertex almost bare of pile, but (like the rest of the head) bearing some rather long blackish-fuscous hair; face closely covered with a short silvery pile, which is longest on the clypeus; the latter is produced, waved at the sides, and slightly depressed in the middle at the apex. Pronotum with an oblique, broad, shallow depression on either side in front, the top thereby being narrowed, separated from, and somewhat raised above, the sides. Meso- sternum tuberculate at the base and apex laterally, the posterior tubercles smaller and more clearly separated than the anterior ones; the centre strongly transversely striolated and distinctly furrowed ; between the middle legs depressed in the centre and tuberculate laterally. On the mesopleura a }-shaped broad furrow runs down from the tubercles. Thorax velvety (especially in front), opaque, the scutellum more shining; postscutellum transversely ridged, opaque, alutaceous; metanotum transversely, the metapleure ob-

liquely, coarsely striated; metanotum with an indistinct shallow longitudinal depression BB 2

4 _ HYMENOPTERA.

in the centre. Tegule shining. The tubercles, a larger spot on the mesopleure, and another at the end of the metapleure, silvery-white. The apical segments of the abdomen deep velvety-black. Hind coxe covered with a silvery pubescence. ‘The third antennal joint one quarter longer than the fourth. The male has the clypeus and face densely covered with a golden pubescence ; the

clypeus produced at the apex into a short blunt tooth and projecting outwardly; and the mesosternum not or hardly tuberculate.

Norse.—A male example before me, of which the armature is figured on Tab. I. fig. 6, clearly represents a distinct species from A. miliaris; but apart from this difference in the genital organs I cannot separate it by any satisfactory character from A. miliaris. IT have some other Central-American specimens (females) which are probably distinct from any I have described; but I am at present far from being clear as to the specific characters by which they can be differentiated from A. miliaris.

J 2. Ammophila gaumeri. (Tab. II. fig. 2, 3.)

_ Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer); GuaATEMALA, San Gerdnimo (Champion).

Similar in form and colour to A. miliaris; but differing in the clypeus being almost flat (not produced broadly in the middle and depressed at the apex), with its apex not so sharply truncated, the curve from the sides being longer and more gradual, and also in having a broad well-defined border to it; the mesonotum wants the velvety appearance ; the metanotum is not transversely striated, but opaque and granular, and the edges only show traces of striation; the petiole is shorter; the second cubital cellule is broader at the top, the nervures not approaching each other, so that the top is half the length of the bottom (in A. miliaris it is not one sixth); the recurrent nervure is received before the middle (not at the middle as in A. miliaris); the front ocellus is more widely separated from the posterior ocelli; the pronotum is not raised in the centre and is broader above; the sternum is alutaceous and not tuberculate ; the third antennal joint is more than twice the length of the fourth; and the pleuree, coxee, and abdomen are of a much more decided bluish tint.

The pile all over the body is sparse; the face and clypeus want the silvery pubescence entirely, and on the thorax it is only visible on the tubercles and on two spots on the apex of the metanotum. In the centre of the mesonotum is a depression which is prolonged as a distinct furrow towards the base, and there is a depression on either side close to the tegule. The puncturing on the mesonotum is rather close, but not very strong. The scutellum is opaque, closely punctured, the punctures at the apex running into longitudinal striations. The postscutellum is rugosely punctured. The hind tibize and the base of the tarsi on the inner side are covered with a fulvous pubes- cence ; the other parts of the legs are almost devoid of pile.

AMMOPHILA. 5

The male I refer to the same species has the clypeus and cheeks densely covered with a thick silvery pile, and the former is slightly incised in the middle; the pleure have a silvery pubescence ; the scutellum is more distinctly striated towards the apex; the hair on the head and thorax is longer ; the bluish tint of the body is not so con- spicuous; and the wings are lighter-coloured towards the middle and base.

, 3. Ammophila micans. Ceerulea, fusco-hirta, thorace opaco; clypeo truncato ; alis fusco-violaceis. 9. Long. 20-21 millim.

Hab. Guatema.a, San Geronimo (Champion).

The face bears some scattered punctures; the vertex and thorax are alutaceous, opaque, of a darker colour than the rest of the body, varying almost into black. The cheeks bear a faint silvery pile; and, as well as the rest of the head, are covered rather closely with longish black hairs. Clypeus not projecting, furrowed ; the apex broadly transverse in the middle. The furrow on the vertex is deep and moderately broad. The front ocellus is separated from the posterior ocelli by fully half the space between these. The third antennal joint is more than twice the length of the fourth. The thorax has but a very faint punctuation ; the scutellum is more shining, and has some punctures ; there is not a distinct depression in the centre of the mesonotum, but one on either side; a narrow furrow runs down the mesopleura from the tegule, and there is a short transverse one beyond it opposite the tubercles. Mesosternal furrow indistinct. Metathorax granular, opaque, indistinctly striated. The thoracic pubes- cence is rather dense and fuscous-black ; the tubercles and a spot on either side of the metanotum are silvery. Abdomen almost shining, and glabrous; the petiole black, but slightly curved. Legs almost without any pile; the tibie with a few bristles. The second cubital cellule is at the top about one fourth longer than the corresponding part of the third; the first recurrent nervure is received before the middle.

’ 4. Ammophila iridipennis. | Nigra, subnitida, thorace fulvo-villoso ; sparse punctata, metanoto pleurisque striatis; clypeo 2 curvato, g transverso; alis fusco-violaceis. Long. 23 millim.

Hab. Guatemata, Zapote (Champion).

Face and clypeus bearing a short, sparse, pale pile; and, as well as the front and vertex, sparsely covered with longish black hair, and marked with scattered punctures. Front depressed in the centre, where there is an ill-defined furrow. Clypeus broadly convex, the extreme apex depressed, margined, and waved in the middle. Third antennal joint one half longer than the fourth. Pronotum raised broadly in the centre above ; the sides projecting into tubercles. Mesosternum indistincly tuberculate at the base and apex. A }-shaped furrow runs down from the tubercles. Thorax rather

v

6 HYMENOPTERA.

closely covered with a fulvous pile; the pro- and mesonotum sparsely punctured and shining; pleure opaque, obliquely striated, except in front below the tegule; meta- notum opaque, closely pilose, the base rugose, the rest closely transversely striated, _ the centre depressed towards the apex; scutellum depressed in the middle, the apex longitudinally striated; mesonotum with a furrow down the centre, the furrow not distinct at the base. Basal joint of the petiole pruinose, curved; the rest of the abdomen pruinose, the apical segment bearing some longish black hair. Legs densely pruinose. Second cubital cellule at the bottom three times the length of the third, and at the top not much shorter than the space bounded by the first transverse cubital and first recurrent nervures; second recurrent nervure received quite close to the second transverse cubital; third cubital cellule at the top as wide as at the bottom.

The male has the head below the antenne densely covered with golden pile; and the apex of the clypeus broadly transverse.

The sericeous spots on the thorax are formed as in A. miliaris, from which the male is readily known by the clypeus being transverse. In the female the clypeus does not project so much, and the apex is broadly incised ; the pile is sparser, especially on the thorax, which has not the velvety appearance ; and the third cubital cellule is wider at the bottom, and not much narrower there than at the top. A. iridipennis is also smaller than A. miliaris. The allied A. gaumeri is longer, is distinctly bluish in tint, has the clypeus flatter and transverse at the apex, &c.

v5. Ammophila centralis. (Tab. I. figg. 12; 12a, ¢.)

Nigra, opaca, longe nigro-hirta, abdominis segmento 2° subtus testaceo, metathorace coriaceo, clypeo inciso ; alis fuscis. ¢. Long. 20 millim.

Hab. Guatemata, El Reposo 800 feet, San Gerénimo (Champion).

The eyes are large, projecting, and converge on the lower side. Face covered with silvery pile; clypeus broadly incised in the middle; hair longish and rather dense; vertex slightly depressed in the centre, but without a furrow ; punctuation moderately close, but shallow. Third antennal joint nearly one half longer than the fourth. Pro- and mesonotum shining, closely punctured ; an indistinct furrow in the centre of the former, a distinct broad one in the middle of the latter, and one on either side; scutellum strongly punctured; pleure finely rugose, opaque; a semioblique furrow runs down the mesopleure from the tegule; metanotum rugosely striated, flat in the centre. The pubescence is scarcely so long as that on the head, but dense; the pleure have a short silvery pubescence, the apex of the metathorax a longer and denser one. Petiole long. Legs covered with a hoary pile; the coxe have longish hair. Wings lighter in tint at the apex; second cubital cellule at the top but very slightly longer than the third; the first recurrent nervure received before the middle where the cellule is angled.

AMMOPHILA. 7

b. Mesothorax transversely striated. (Species 6-8.) J 6. Ammophila aureo-notata. (Tab. I. figg. 11; lla, ¢.)

Nigra, abdomine subceruleo, mesonoto striato; alis fumatis; 9 clypeo transverso, ¢ acuminato. Long. 12-15 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Valladolid in Yucatan (Gauwmer).

Face in the female densely covered at the sides and on the clypeus with silvery-white hair; the vertex shining, bearing a very short pale pile and a few longish hairs, fuscous or blackish; the sides of the head bearing longish white hairs. Clypeus produced broadly in the middle, the apex depressed and transverse ; the sides rounded. Front depressed in the centre, where there is a narrow, but distinct furrow running down from the ocelli, these latter being surrounded and united by furrows. ‘The vertex and front bear some distinct punctures, those on the front being the longer. The ocelli are almost in a triangle. The third antennal joint is twice the length of the fourth. Pronotum narrow above, with a slight longitudinal furrow on the top and an oblique furrow on either side. Sternum transversely striolated. A wide oblique furrow in the centre of the propleure ; and a }-shaped furrow runs down the mesopleure from the tegule. Prothorax above and laterally shining, impunctate, sparsely pilose; the pro- sternum opaque, alutaceous. Mesonotum strongly transversely striated, depressed in the centre (where it is scarcely striated) and along the sides. Mesopleure opaque, finely but rugosely punctured. Scutellum stoutly, longitudinally, rugosely striolated. Metanotum depressed in the middle, transversely striated; metapleure obliquely striated, opaque. The thorax is sparsely covered with a greyish pile and has some rather long pale hairs; there is a golden spot on the middle of the mesonotum at the base; the tubercles, a large mark on the mesopleure, and an oblong spot on either side of the metanotum are silvery white. The petiole is deep black, shining; the rest of the abdomen is covered with a velvety pile, and inclining to blue in tint. Legs covered with a short, greyish, silky pile, which is longest on the coxe. Wings uniformly fusco-hyaline, varying in intensity in different individuals, but never darker at the apex.

The male has the face thickly covered with a golden pile; and the clypeus acuminate,

terminating in a stout tooth.

. 7. Ammophila barbata. Ammophila barbata, Smith, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 4th ser. xii. p. 260 (1873)’.

Hab. Mexico}. In having the mesothorax transversely, and the scutellum longitudinally, striated, as

well as in coloration, this species agrees with A. aureo-notata; but it must, I think, be regarded as distinct. A. darbata is said to have the prothorax coarsely transversely

8 HYMENOPTERA.

striated ; and the metanotum to have “an elongate, angular space at the base rugose, on each side of which is an oblique striation” (in A. aureo-notata the metanotum is entirely striated). In A. barbata the wings are “hyaline, with their apical margins fuscous beyond the apex of the marginal cellule, the fuscous border sharply defined.”

! 8. Ammophila ceres. (Tab. I. fig. 10, ¢.) Nigra, dense griseo-pilosa, punctata, thorace supra transverse striolato; alis fusco-hyalinis. ¢.

Long. 31 millim, Hab. Guatemaa, San Geronimo (Champion).

The hair on the head is longer than that on the thorax and is blacker; the face has a griseous pubescence; the vertex and front are punctured rather strongly ; the latter is not much depressed in the middle, where there is a shallow furrow. Clypeus broadly transverse at the apex, slightly retreating in the centre, giving the appearance of an incision there; it does not project. Front ocellus separated from the posterior ocelli by fully half the space between these. Third antennal joint one half longer than the fourth. Pronotum broad, rather long; an oblique broad furrow on the pleure. <A broad shining furrow runs down from the tegule. Sternum indistinctly furrowed. Thorax densely covered with long griseous hairs; densely and strongly punctured, above strongly transversely striolated; the scutellum with some stout longitudinal keels ; postscutellum more raised, rugose, a stout keel on its apical margin. There is an indistinct furrow in the centre of the mesonotum; the metanotum is depressed laterally. ‘The petiole is nearly as long as the thorax; the third segment is rufous laterally and beneath in the middle. The legs are hoary; the coxe bear a few hairs ; the tarsi are very shortly spinose. The second cubital cellule is twice the length of the top at the bottom, the top not being much longer than the space bounded by the first transverse cubital nervure and the first recurrent nervure; the latter is recurved a little before the middle of the cellule; the third cubital cellule is of nearly equal width at the top and bottom; the third recurrent nervure is bent outwardly a little below the middle.

B. Abdomen more or less red in the middle. (Species 9-28.) a. Legs entirely black. (Species 9-25.) 1. Wings yellowish ; head and thorax bluish. (Species 9.)

\ 9, Ammophila zanthoptera. (Tab. I. fig. 4.)

Nigro-cerulea, dense fusco-pilosa, punctata; metanoto transverse striolato ; abdominis medio rufo; alis flavo- hyalinis, stigmate nervisque flavis. 9. Long. 27 millim.

Hab. Guatema.a, Calderas 6000 feet (Champion).

AMMOPHILA. 9

Antenne almost bare, or slightly hoary. Head covered with long blackish hair, punctured, but not strongly; frontal furrow wide, shallow. Clypeus transverse at the apex; the angles obliquely rounded, scarcely projecting. Third antennal joint twice the length of the fourth. Thorax opaque, covered with shorter and paler hair than the head, closely punctured; the furrow on the mesonotum deep, wide; a narrow furrow runs down from the tegule, and a short transverse one runs from it opposite the tubercles, uniting to an oblique one ; mesosternal furrow distinct; metanotum closely, transversely striated, scarcely depressed in the centre. Abdomen covered with a close hoary pile; the apical three fourths of the second and the third and fourth segments entirely red. The petiole has scarcely a bluish tinge. Tibie and tarsi covered with a hoary pile, the latter densely spinose, the former with a few stout spines. The second cubital cellule is longer on the upper and lower side than the third, the top half the length of the bottom, the latter slightly angled where the recurrent nervures are received—before the middle and a little before the apex; the third cellule at the top is about one third of the length of the bottom; the third transverse cubital nervure is turned backwards before the middle is reached.

2. Wings fuscous ; thorax densely pilose. (Species 10-25.) + Mesothorax striated. (Species 10, 11.)

| 10. Ammophila championi. (Tab. I. fig. 3.) Nigra, thorace capiteque dense griseo-pitosis ; thorace fortiter punctato, supra transverso striolato ; seutello longitudinaliter striolato ; abdominis segmentis 2° et 3° pro parte rufis; alis fusco-violaceis. 9. Long. 33 millim.

Hab. Guarnmana, San Gerénimo and Cubulco in Vera Paz (Champion).

Head covered with long blackish hair; the front and vertex finely, the clypeus, more strongly, punctured ; front depressed above the antenna, and with an indistinct furrow running down its middle; clypeus transverse in the centre. Third antennal joint more than twice the length of the fourth. Thorax densely covered with longish (but still shorter than that on the head) grey hair; the pleure strongly punctured, the tubercles impunctate; pro-, meso-, and metanotum strongly transversely striolated, except the mesonotum at the base; scutellum strongly longitudinally striolated; postscutellum rugose; there is a narrow furrow in the centre of the mesonotum, and a narrow, not very distinct, furrow runs down from either side of the tegule. Coxe and femora sparsely covered with long black hair; tarsi densely, the tibiee sparsely, spinose. The top of the second cubital cellule is a little longer than the space bounded by the first trans- verse cubital and the first recurrent nervures; the latter is received before the middie ; the third cubital cellule is somewhat longer than the space enclosed by the twa recurrent nervures and about one fourth shorter than the bottom of the cellule.

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. I1., October 1888. cc

10 HYMENOPTERA.

f

11. Ammophila striolata.

Nigra, breviter sericeo-villosa ; pro-, meso- et metanoto transverse striolatis ; scutello longitudinaliter striolato ; clypeo dense fulvo-villoso, apice transverso; abdomine rufo, apice nigro ; alis fusco-hyalinis. @. Long. 24 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Ventanas in Durango 2000 feet (Forrer).

The pubescence on the head is very close and dense all over, but sparsest in the centre of the vertex. The vertex is broadly and deeply depressed in the middle above the antenne. Clypeus obliquely depressed at the apical half, the apex itself almost depressed. Third antennal joint twice the length of the fourth. Collar elongate, broadly obliquely furrowed laterally. The pubescence on the thorax is dense, forming two oblique silvery stripes on the pleure, the posterior stripe being united to the silvery patch on the apex of the middle segment. The top of the pronotum bears thick patches of pubescence at the base and apex. The striolation on the pro- and meso- notum is strong and close; on the metanotum it is finer, closer, and oblique; on the scutellum it is still stronger and coarser. The mesopleure are strongly punctured ; a curved furrow runs down from either side of the tegule. There is a shallow furrow in the centre of the mesonotum ; the metanotum is depressed in the middle. Abdomen elongated, pruinose. Legs densely pruinose. At the top the second cubital cellule is as wide as the space bounded by the first transverse cubital and first recurrent nervures, and nearly one fourth longer than the top of the third cellule; the latter is narrower at the top than at the bottom, and considerably dilated on the lower half.

+f Mesothorax punctured. (Species 12-25.) { * Petiole black. (Species 12-23.)

12. Ammophila alticola. (4. chiriquensis, Tab. I. fig. 9a, 3.)

Nigra, apice petioli abdominisque segmento 1° lateribus rufis ; dense punctata et argenteo-villosa, scutello rugoso- striato, metanoto transverse rugoso ; clypeo dense aureo-villoso, apice fere transverso ; alis fusco-hyalinis. 3.

Long. 24 millim.

Had. Paxama, Volcan de Chiriqui 2000 to 3000 feet (Champion),

A long narrow insect. The pubescence on the thorax is long and dense, and forms a conspicuous oblique stripe down the apex of the mesopleura, the usual hirsute spots being also distinctly visible. ‘The hair on the top of the head is long and moderately dense, and the front and vertex are closely, but not deeply, punctured. The clypeus is produced, but broadly transverse at the apex; the sides are rounded. Ocelli nearly in a triangle. Third antennal joint hardly one quarter longer than the fourth. Collar moderately long; the sides with two oblique depressions, the upper depression the shortest and semioblique. Thorax closely and distinctly punctured, almost transversely punctured in the middle of the mesonotum ; the latter has a narrow furrow down its

AMMOPHILA. Oe 11

centre ; scutellum rugosely longitudinally striated, the interstices being finely rugose ; metanotum flat, the shield-shaped central part distinctly separated and transversely rugose ; metapleura rugose. ‘Two furrows run down from the tegule, the first bending sharply to the second near its apex. Abdomen elongate, narrow, the:apex bluish-black. Wings shorter than the abdomen; the second cubital cellule at the top is a little shorter than the space bounded by the first transverse cubital and first recurrent nervures, and longer than the third at the top; the third cubital cellule is half the length of the bottom at the top. Legs densely silky-white-pruinose.

J 43, Ammophila trichiosoma. (Tab. I. fig. 13, ¢.)

Nigra, capite et thorace dense cinereo-pilosis, punctatis, scutello rugoso, metathorace transverse punctato ; abdominis segmento 2° petiolique apice subtus rufis; alis fusco-violaceis, apice fumatis. ¢. Long. 14 millim.

Hab. Guatemata, Capetillo (Champion).

The hair on the head is long and black, and there is a short silvery pile on the face. The front is not depressed and there is no furrow. Clypeus very slightly and broadly incised in the middle; the sides oblique. Front ocellus separated from the posterior ocelli by less than half the space between these. Third antennal joint more than twice the length of the fourth. The punctuation on the head is indistinct, that on the thorax rather strong and close. The hair on the thorax is not so long as on the head, but is much closer and thicker and greyish. The central furrow on the mesonotum is wide and distinct; there is no furrow on the pronotum. The propleuree have an indistinct semioblique furrow. Scutellum strongly, almost rugosely, punctured. A curved furrow runs down from the tegule. Legs covered with a silvery down; the coxe with long white hair; the spines on the tibiee moderately thick. The second cubital cellule above is scarcely longer than the third; below it is about one fourth longer.

J 14. Ammophila picipes. (Tab. II. fig. 4, ¢.) Nigra, flagello antennarum tegulisque sordide rufis ; pedibus piceis, basi nigris ; abdomine rufo, basi late nigro ; alis hyalinis, apice fumatis. 3. Long. 15 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer).

Head and thorax covered with long cinereous or fuscous hair; apex of the clypeus sinuated, hardly depressed; mandibles piceous towards the apex. Front moderately - depressed in the centre. Third antennal joint one quarter longer than the fourth. Prothorax shining, impunctate, elongate, the sides with a curved horizontal furrow; mesothorax rugosely punctured, the mesonotum transversely so. Scutellum longi- tudinally striolated. Postscutellum and metathorax rugose. Petiole longer than the | head and thorax united; red, black above; the second segment for the greater part red. ‘The second and third cubital cellules variable ; above subequal.

ce 2

12 HYMENOPTERA.

J 15. Ammophila consors. (Tab. II. fig. 3, .)

Nigra, capite et abdominis apice nigro-ceruleis, apice petioli abdominis segmentoque 2° rufis; clypeo fere truncato; scutello punctato; alis cum nervis fusco-hyalinis, vel flavo-fuscis. ¢ 9. Long. 18-24 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer).

Head broad, almost shining ; the front and vertex covered with a sparse, short, black, depressed pubescence; the clypeus with a longer silvery pubescence. Front acutely depressed in the middle; the central furrow distinct. Clypeus depressed inwardly at the apex, which is broadly truncated, with the sides rounded ; the apex margined ; the central region bearing some large punctures. Mandibles entirely black, shining; the basal part with elongated punctures. Third antennal joint fully twice the length of - the fourth. Prothorax elongate; a broad, shallow, oblique furrow on the sides. Thorax almost shining; covered with a depressed short pubescence; the tubercles, a_ broad oblique stripe on the mesopleure, and a spot over the hind coxe, silvery. Meso- notum with a broad moderately deep furrow in the centre, and there is a broader and shallower depression along the sides of the tegule; two narrow furrows run down from the tegule, and a short transverse one branches off from the first. Scutellum shining, slightly depressed in the middle; almost impunctate, posteriorly irregularly and indistinctly striolated in some specimens; postscutellum sometimes irregularly punctured, Metanotum opaque, transversely striated. Abdomen shining; the apical ventral segments with some longish hairs, the last closely punctured. In most speci- mens the apical joint of the petiole is more or less black above, and the second segment is sometimes black at the apex. The second and third cubital cellules somewhat variable in size: generally above they are of nearly equal length; the third above is about three fourths the length of the bottom. Tuibie and tarsi rather strongly spinose ; the metatarsal brush rufous.

The specimens I take to be the male have the head and thorax more densely pilose ; the apex of the clypeus depressed and a little incised in the middle; the thorax punc- tured ; the apex of the petiole and the second segment only black beneath; the pleure with a continuous silvery pile; the furrow on the mesonotum shallower; and the head and apex of the abdomen want the bluish tinge.

The colour of the wings varies in both sexes: in some examples the apex is much darker than the middle and base, but generally the colour is of uniform intensity.

J 16. Ammophila nigro-cerulea. (Tab. I. fig. 8.)

Nigro-cerulea, sparse fusco-pilosa et argenteo-pubescens; leviter punctata, scutello et metapleuris crebre

punctatis ; metanoto transverse striolato; abdominis segmentis 2° et 3° rufis; alis fusco-hyalinis. Long. 12-14 millim.

Hab. Guatemaa, San Gerdénimo (Champion).

The pubescence and hair on the head are rather sparse, as is also the punctuation.

AMMOPHILA. 13

The front is deeply depressed and has a distinct furrow. Clypeus transverse ; its furrow not very deep or broad. Ocelli forming almost a triangle. Third antennal joint twice the length of the fourth. Prothorax moderately elongate, and with two oblique lateral furrows. On the thorax the hair is shorter, paler, and thicker ; the pubescence is very dense and silvery on the pleure and on the apex of the metathorax; the punctuation is shallow, but close—on the scutellum it is closer and coarser, and on the postscutellum it is still stronger and almost rugose; the furrow on the mesonotum is broad and moderately deep; two furrows run down from the tegule, the first emitting a short transverse one; the metanotum has the transverse striation strong and rugged, and is depressed in the centre.

v 17 Ammophila montezuma, (Tab. I. fig. 15.)

Nigra, argenteo-pubescens, capite et thorace dense cinereo-pilosis; crebre punctata; clypeo inciso; scutello

. punctato ; metanoto transverse striolato ; apice petioli abdominisque segmentis 2° et 3° lateribus ventreque rufis; alis fere hyalinis, apice fumatis. ¢.

Long. 25 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

The face has a long, dense, silvery pubescence; the front and vertex are almost bare ; the hair is moderately thick, longish, and cinereous. Front moderately depressed; the furrow shallow. Clypeus incised. Posterior ocelli separated from each other by a space equal to that between them and the eyes. Third antennal joint hardly one quarter longer than the fourth. Prothorax with an indistinct oblique lateral furrow. Thorax closely punctured, the scutellum rather sparsely so; the hair is rather long, very dense, and cinereous. There is a dense silvery pile on the prothorax, on the tubercles, obliquely on the pleure, and on the apex of the metanotum. The central furrow on the mesonotum is very indistinct; and there is none on the pronotum; a narrow furrow runs down from the tegula; the centre of the metanotum is slightly hollowed. Legs covered with a short hoary pubescence, the coxe with long silvery hair ; the tarsi incline to piceous. The first joint of the petiole is only reddish at the extreme apex; the second joint is entirely reddish, except a black line above ; the first segment is red beyond a line in the centre above (the black not touching the base and apex); the second segment is also red, except a broad black band at the apex; the other segments (except the apical two) are reddish beneath. The second cubital cellule is more than three times the length of the third, and on the lower side more than twice the length of the third on the same side; the third cubital cellule is twice as wide at the bottom as at the top; the first recurrent nervure is received almost in the middle of the cellule, the second quite close to the apex.

A. strenua, Cresson, is closely allied to this species, but is smaller, has the scutelium channelled down the centre, the enclosed space on the metathorax without pubes- cence, &c. .

14 HYMENOPTERA.

J 18. Ammophila dejecta.

Nigra, abdominis medio late ferrugineo; dense fulvo-cinereo-pilosa ; facie aureo-pilosa ; clypeo fere truncato ; alis fere hyalinis, apice fumatis. Long. 17-18 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

Head wider than the mesothorax, indistinctly shagreened, covered with moderately large punctures ; frontal furrow indistinct ; clypeus bent inwardly at the- apex, giving it the appearance of being incised. Posterior ocelli separated from each other by a less distance than they are from the eyes, and from the front ocellus by half this space. Third antennal joint one quarter longer than the fourth. Prothorax with a shallow oblique furrow. Thorax closely punctured; postscutellum rugose ; metanotum striated, running into reticulations, the apex strongly punctured. An indistinct furrow runs down from the tegule. The hair on the thorax is long and dense; there is an oblique silvery stripe along the mesopleure; the metapleure bear silvery hair, and there is a tuft of cinereous pile on either side of the metanotum. The basal joint of the petiole beneath, the whole of the second joint, and the first and second segments (except a black line above) are ferruginous; the apical segments are scarcely pilose. Coxe with rather long silvery-white hair; the rest of the legs with a short hoary pile; spines fuscous-black ; claws ferruginous at the tips. Second cubital cellule at the top one fourth longer than the third and shorter than the space bounded by the recurrent nervures; third cubital cellule at the top one third shorter than at the bottom; second transverse cubital nervure slightly oblique, straight; first recurrent nervure received before the middle of the cellule.

J 19. Ammophila cora, (Tab. I. figg. 18; 18, 3.)

Nigra, cinereo-hirta, apice petioli supra abdominisque segmento 1° ferrugineis; clypeo exciso; mesonoto punctato; scutello longitudinaliter striato; metanoto transverse striato; alis fuscis. ¢. Long. 18 millim.

Hab. GuatemMata, San Geronimo (Champion).

Head shining; the face and clypeus sparsely punctured; the vertex with very few punctures; sparsely covered with long whitish hairs and with no pile; apex of the clypeus depressed, with a distinct margin and broadly, but not deeply, incised. Eyes converging on the lower side. Front shallowly depressed in the centre. Third antennal joint fully one quarter longer than the fourth. Prothorax with a wide trans- verse and a narrower oblique furrow laterally. Thorax shining, covered with long griseous hairs; the pleure, pro- and mesonotum punctured ; scutellum with some coarse longitudinal striations ; the metanotum coarsely and closely transversely striated. Legs covered with a close hoary pile; the bristles and hind calcaria pale; tips of the claws ferruginous. Top of the second cubital cellule as long as the distance between the recurrent nervures and a little shorter than the third cellule at the top; the first

AMMOPHILA. 15

recurrent nervure is received in the middle of the cellule, which is but slightly angled there; the third transverse cubital nervure is bent outwardly on the lower half and the upper half retreats inwardly, thus making the upper part of the third cubital cellule about one fourth narrower than the lower.

This species may be known from the male I somewhat doubtfully refer to A. azteca by the wings being deeply fusco-violaceous ; the third cubital cellule much wider at the top, and at the bottom not very much shorter than ‘the second cellule; the lower half of the third transverse cubital nervure straight; and by the mesonotum not being furrowed in the middle.

Y 20. Ammophila fragilis. (Tab. I. fig. 5, 3.) Ammophila fragilis, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 219’; Taschenberg, Zeitschr. ges. Nat. Sachs. Thiir. xxxiv. p. 434 (1869) ”. , Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison), Temax in North Yucatan (Gawmer) ; Costa Rica, Cache (Hogers).—Souta America, Brazil 12,

I believe [ am correct in referring our Costa Rican and Mexican specimens to A. _ fragilis. In these the silvery pile on the face is short and indistinct (probably rubbed). The ocelli form almost a triangle; the posterior pair separated from each other by a less distance than they are from the eyes. The third antennal joint is nearly twice the length of the fourth. The prothorax laterally has a \ -shaped furrow ; and two narrow furrows run down from the tegule. The basal joint of the petiole is for the greater part reddish beneath; the second joint is entirely so, except a broad black line on the top; the first and second segments are ferruginous, the others being bluish-black. The second cubital cellule at the top is nearly double the length of the third and longer than the space enclosed by the recurrent nervures; the first recurrent nervure is received a little beyond the basal third of the cellule, the second in the apical third; the third cubital cellule is not much wider at the top. than at the bottom, the third transverse cubital nervure is bent outwardly; the stigma is testaceous. The legs slightly pruinose ; the coxe with a few hairs. The hair on the head and thorax is pale fuscous, sparse, and not very long,

Smith describes ' the “ abdomen as blue-black, and the second joint of the petiole and the base of the abdomen as ferruginous beneath.” ‘Taschenberg says? “ petioli apice et parte antica abdominis nigro-cerulei dilatata, subtus plus minusve rufes- centibus.” The Central-American specimens therefore differ in the greater extension of the red colour, and appear to form a distinct variety.

The male has the pilosity of the head and thorax more dense and long ; the clypeus is densely silvery (inclining to golden), and its apex is depressed inwardly and sinuated in the middle; and the hair on the thorax (thick on the metanotum) is golden. The wings vary in colour in both sexes: in some examples they are smoky at the apex and

J

16 HYMENOPTERA.

nearly hyaline for the rest, and in others almost uniformly fuscous. In size the specimens vary from 18-24 millim.

J 21. Ammophila gracilis. (Tab. I. figg. 7; 74,0.) Ammophila gracilis, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins., Hymén. ii. p. 381°.

Hab. Mexico}.

Specimens from Mexico, from Presidio and Ventanas (forrer), and from Valladolid in Yucatan (Gawmer), and from Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion), are possibly referable to this species.

They may be described thus:—Black; the second joint of the petiole and the greater part of the following segment red, lined with black above; the face and cheeks, the tubercles, an oblique line on the mesopleure, and a spot on either side of the median segment, clothed with a dense silvery pile; the vertex and thorax covered with rather long ashy pubescence. Head slightly punctured; clypeus broadly rounded, almost transverse in the centre. Ocelli hardly forming a triangle, and widely separated from the eyes. Third antennal joint one quarter longer than the fourth. Prothorax with a )-shaped furrow. Thorax rather strongly punctured ; scutellum longitudinally striolated ; mesonotum with a broad furrow or depression in the centre and another on either side; a )-shaped furrow runs from the base and a straight one from the apex of the tegule; metanotum closely and finely transversely striated. Third cubital cellule a little longer than the second at the top ; below it is about one fourth longer than it is above.

The male has the face more densely and widely silvery-pilose; the oblique spot on the mesopleure is wider, and the pleuree and sternum are covered with rather long dense greyish pubescence ; the hair on the head and thorax is longer and denser; and the clypeus is more projecting and more rounded at the apex.

This insect is shorter than the species I have determined as A. fragilis; the petiole and the following segnient are entirely red (and not black throughout above, while the base of the petiole is red beneath); the pronotum has a furrow in the centre; the clypeus is more depressed inwardly at the apex; the punctuation on the thorax is closer; the stigma is reddish ; and the third cubital cellule is only half the length of the second above.

A. azteca differs from it in having the apex of the clypeus transverse; the clypeus and cheeks without silvery pubescence; the thorax more shining and less pubescent ; the pronotum furrowed in the centre ; the furrow on the mesonotum wider and deeper ; and the wings distinctly fuscous-tinted throughout.

22. Ammophila atriceps. Ammophila atriceps, Smith, Cat, Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 221°.

Hab. Mexico },

_ AMMOPHILA. 17

23. Ammophila azteca. Nigra, nitida, fusco-hirta, abdominis medio rufo ; alis fumatis, apice fere hyalinis. 9. Long. 14-20 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Mazatlan (Forrer).

Head broader than the mesothorax, shining, sparsely covered with longish fuscous hair, and with moderately large punctures; clypeus scarcely projecting, the apex broadly rounded ; frontal furrow narrowed, deep; mandibles black, shagreened, and with a few punctures. Ocelli almost forming a triangle, and widely separated from the eyes. Third antennal joint nearly twice the length of the fourth. Pronotum with a { -shaped furrow. Thorax moderately convex, with rather long hair which varies in tint from fuscous to cinereous; pro- and mesothorax rather strongly punctured; scutellum strongly longitudinally striolated; postscutellum rugosely punctured; metanotum closely transversely striated ; metapleure irregularly rugose. The prothorax is depressed in the centre; there is a depression in the middle of the mesonotum (very broad near the scutellum); and the metanotum is depressed in the centre. There is a silvery pile along the oblique furrow on the mesopleure. Coxe sparsely covered with white hair ; the femora and tibie with a very indistinct hoary pile; calcaria and claws testaceous ; spines fuscous ; the apices of the tarsal joints obscure testaceous. The apical three fourths of the second segment of the abdomen, the whole of the third segment, and the lower side of the fourth, reddish. The upperside of the second cubital cellule is fully three times the length of the upperside of the third and longer than the space bounded by the recurrent nervures; the first recurrent nervure is received before the middle; the second transverse cubital nervure is bent backwards; the third curves backwards at the top, so that the third cellule is twice the width of the top at the bottom.

An example which is perhaps the male (from Orizaba) has the clypeus and face densely covered with long silvery pubescence, an oblique stripe on the mesopleura, and the whole thorax bearing a long pale pubescence ; it also has the clypeus transverse at the apex, and, if anything, slightly incurved in the middle.

** Petiole entirely red. (Species 24, 25.) 4, Ammophila volcanica. (Tab. I. fig. 19, ?.)

Nigra, argenteo-pilosa, punctata, abdominis segmentis 1°-4™ rufis; alis fumatis. 9. Long. 19 millim.

Hab. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui, 2000 to 3000 feet (Champion).

The silvery pile on the head is densest and longest on the face and clypeus, and there are a few longish white hairs; the vertex, front, and cheeks are shagreened; the clypeus bears some punctures and is almost transverse at the apex in the middle, and the sides are obliquely rounded; front depressed in the centre, and with a shallow keel; ocelli in a triangle, and surrounded by a furrow. Third antennal joint more

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II., October 1888. DD

18 HYMENOPTERA.

than twice the length of the fourth. Pronotum with an indistinct shallow curved furrow. The thorax is finely rugose and opaque, and bears a pile very similar to that of the head and has some short scattered hairs; on either side of the metanotum at the apex is a tuft of golden pile; the scutellum bears some coarse longitudinal striations; postscutellum rugose; metanotum transversely striated, depressed in the middle; there are no furrows on the pro- and mesonotum ; a curved furrow runs down from the tegule. Tibiw sparsely, the tarsi densely, spinose, and, like the femora and cox, bear a hoary pile. The second cubital cellule is about one half wider than the third, and its top is scarcely one half the length of the bottom; the first recurrent nervure is received very little before the middle of the cellule; the third cubital cellule is at the top rather more than one half the length of the bottom; the third transverse cubital nervure on the lower side curves towards the apex of the wing, and then about one third from the bottom curves towards the base.

J 25. Ammophila chiriquensis. (Tab. I. fig. 9, 2 *.)

Nigra, aureo-pubescens et fusco-pilosa, sparse punctata; metathorace transverse striato ; clypeo truncato; petiolo abdominis segmentisque 2° et 3° rufis; alis fere fuscis, apice fumatis. 9. Long. 23 millim.

Hab. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 4000 to 6000 feet (Champion).

Head broader than the mesothorax; the face densely clothed with golden, the vertex with a thin short silvery, pubescence; sparsely covered with a longish fuscous or pale silvery hair. Front and vertex obsoletely punctured ; front deeply depressed: in the centre, a furrow in the middle, originating at the ocelli which are surrounded by a furrow ; ocelli placed nearly in a triangle. Clypeus with a few large scattered punctures, truncated in the middle, slightly retreating, the furrow deep, wide, and uneven. Third antennal joint twice the length of the fourth. Pronotum with a )-shaped furrow, the lower part of which is much wider and deeper than the upper. Thorax finely and sparsely punctured; scutellum coarsely longitudinally striated; metanotum finely and closely transversely striated. The prothorax above the tubercles, a broad oblique band on the meso- and metapleure, and a spot on either side of the metanotum, covered with golden pubescence; the rest of the thorax bears a short silvery pile and has sparse greyish hair. The central furrow on the mesonotum is broad and indistinct, that on the prothorax is almost obsolete; a narrow keel runs down from the tegule. The second joint of the petiole is much thicker than the basal joint, and like it is finely longitudinally aciculated ; the second joint is for the greater part black on the top.

* The genital organs figured on Tab. I. fig. 9a do not belong to the male of this species, but to that of A, alticola.

AMMOPHILA. 19

b. Legs more or less red. (Species 26-28.)

26. Ammophila varipes. (Tab. I. fige. 17; 17a, 3.) Ammophila varipes, Cresson, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. iv. p. 4577.

Hab. Nortu America, Colorado '.—Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

I believe I am correct in referring the specimen from Sonora to A. varipes. In this example the face, metanotum, and pleure are covered with a dense silvery pile; and the top of the thorax is sparsely clothed with silvery or cinereous hair. The clypeus is rounded, almost transverse in the centre. The thorax is rather strongly and closely punctured ; the scutellum is rugose; the metanotum is rugosely punctured in the centre, obliquely striated at the sides. The four anterior legs are reddish, except the coxe, trochanters, and the extreme base of the femora; the hind pair are black, except the apex of the femora, the base of the tibiz, and the calcaria, which are reddish. The anterior legs are sparsely covered with long silvery-white hair; the middle legs bear but very little hair; the posterior tarsi are slightly spined; all the coxe are thickly covered with a silvery pile; the posterior legs are hoary. The petiole is entirely black ; — the other segments are more or less black above. The second cubital cellule above is twice the length of the third and scarcely one fourth narrower above than below ; the third cellule is half the length of the lower side above; the third transverse cubital nervure curves backwards at the middle.

27. Ammophila comanche. (Tab. I. fig. 14.) Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

This species agrees rather closely with A. varipes, but is, I believe, distinct from it. The pile on the face is denser and thicker; on the thorax above it is quite dense; the metanotum is transversely striated ; the four anterior femora are not black at the base ; the hinder femora and tibize are for the greater part reddish beneath, as are also the tarsi; the abdomen has the petiole black ; the second segment has a black line above and beneath at the base ; the third segment is black in the middle; the four apical segments are black, except beneath; tegule red; the costa testaceous at the base; the second cubital cellule above is five times the length of the third (above it is as long as the space below between the first recurrent nervure and the second transverse cubital nervure) ; and the third cellule below is nearly four times the length of the top. Length 21 millim.

J 98. Ammophila breviceps, Ammophila breviceps, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 221°.

Hab. Mexico}.

This species agrees in coloration with A. varipes, and A. varipes may indeed be a DD 2

50 HYMENOPTERA.

variety of A. breviceps. The latter is smaller (8 lines as against 94), and has the meso- thorax transversely striated (unless Smith, as is likely, has written mesothorax for metathorax; for he mentions inter alia that the mesothorax is punctured, and no mention is made of the metathorax at all).

Il. Petiole composed of only one joint. (Species 29-37.) J 99, Ammophila montana. (Tab. I. fig. 2, 3.)

Nigra, capite et thorace dense fusco-pilosis; clypeo et facie argenteo-pilosis; abdominis segmentis 1° et 2° lateribus rufis ; clypeis apice truncato; alis fere hyalinis, apice fumatis. ¢.

Long. 20 millim. Hab, Mexico, Ventanas in Durango 4000 feet (forrer). The hair on the head is longer than on the thorax, but is hardly so dense; the

silvery pile on the face and clypeus is close, on the sides of the front it is sparser; the punctuation is sparse, but strong. Third antennal joint a little longer than the fourth.

Thorax strongly punctured ; metathorax opaque, rugosely punctured ; scutellum punc-

tured, a broad and deep depression at its base; the lateral and central furrows on the mesonotum shallow, not very distinct. Petiole curved, twice the length of the hind coxee, the basal half sparsely punctured and haired. Legs pruinose, the coxe punctured

and covered with long pale hair.

y 30. Ammophila jason. (Tab. II. fig. 1, 2.)

Nigra, punctata, dense nigro-pilosa ; abdomine rufo; clypeo sinuato; alis fuliginosis. 9. Long. 21 millim.

Hab. Guatemaa, San Gerénimo (Champion).

Head broad, almost shining, closely and strongly punctured; clypeus ‘broadly projecting in the middle, the projection sinuated. Third antennal joint more than twice the length of the fourth. Thorax strongly punctured; metanotum opaque, transversely rugose ; metapleure obliquely rugosely punctured, running into reticula- tions; sides of the prothorax strongly striolated ; scutellum punctured, except in the centre, behind with some striolations; mesonotum broadly depressed laterally and in the middle; pronotum depressed in the centre. Petiole curved, nearly twice the length of the hind coxe, punctured, and bearing some rather long hair at the base. Hind coxe strongly punctured, sparsely covered with longish hair; anterior coxe less strongly punctured, and with some coarse striolations on the lateral hollow; trochanters and femora with scattered hair; tibize sparsely, the tarsi thickly, spined. Wings with a violet tinge; third cubital cellule oblique, slightly narrowed at the top; first recurrent nervure recurved very shortly before the middle of the cellule.

J AMMOPHILA. — 21

31. Ammophila alpestris. (Tab. I. fig. 16, ¢; Tab. II. fig. 5.)

Nigra, dense et longe fusco-hirsuta ; clypeo et facie dense argenteo-pilosis ; abdominis segmentis 1°-3™ rufis ; alis fusco-hyalinis, violaceis, apice fumatis. 3. Long. 15-17 millim.

Hab. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 4000 to 6000 feet (Champion).

Third antennal joint one half longer than the fourth. Head indistinctly, the thorax strongly, punctured; metanotum transversely rugosely punctured; centre of the pro- and mesonotum narrowly furrowed, the lateral furrows of the mesonotum narrow. Petiole slightly curved, nearly twice the length of the hind coxe, at the base bearing long pale hair, and sparsely punctured. Legs densely pruinose, the coxe, trochanters, and femora bearing long pale hair.

Y 39, Ammophila sonorensis. (Tab. II. fig. 6.) Nigra, dense pilosa, punctata ; abdominis segmentis 1°-3™ rufis, 4°-7™ ceruleis ; alis violaceis, apice fuliginosis.

Q. Long. 14-18 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

Third antennal joint nearly twice the length of the fourth. Hair on the head and thorax rather long, dense, and black. Head and thorax almost shining, closely punctured ; metanotum opaque, rugose ; metapleure obliquely striolated and punctured ; scutellum sparsely punctured, striolated laterally and at the apex; sides of the prothorax striolated; mesonotum indistinctly furrowed laterally and in the centre, Petiole scarcely one third longer than the hind coxe; sparsely punctured, and covered with long black hair. Coxe, trochanters, and femora sparsely covered with long black hair; tibie pruinose. First recurrent nervure received a little beyond the middle of the cellule. |

The male has the clypeus rounded at the apex, and bears, as does also the face, a sparse silvery pile; and the petiole almost twice the length of the hind coxe.

‘33. Ammophila morrisoni. (Tab. II. fig. 10, 3.)

Nigra, punctata; capite et thorace dense et longe cinereo-pilosis; pedibus 4 anterioribus rufis, basi late nigris ; abdomine nigro, medio late rufo; alis hyalinis, tegulis nigris; clypeo exciso. ¢. , Long. 22 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

The silvery-white hair is long, moderately dense, and almost uniformly distributed. The third antennal joint is more than one half longer than the fourth. The head and thorax are closely, but not very deeply, punctured; the scutellum bears some large punctures; the postscutellum is almost impunctate; the metanotum is coarsely transversely striated. There is no central furrow on the mesonotum. The petiole is entirely black; the second segment is lined with black above; the third segment is entirely red, the fourth red at the base. The petiole at the base and the

22 HYMENOPTERA.

apical segment are aciculated. The legs are covered with a silvery-white pile, which is especially long and thick on the coxe; the four anterior femora are black to the middle; the middle tarsi are fuscous towards the apex; the hind legs are entirely black, except the calcaria, which are red; the spines on the tarsi are sparse. Above the second cubital cellule is about one third longer than the third, and scarcely so long as the space between the first and second recurrent nervures; the second recurrent nervure is received quite close to the second transverse cubital nervure; the third cubital cellule is about one third longer above than below.

_- 84, Ammophila piceiventris. (Tab. II. figg.7; 8, var.) Nigra, punctata, longe nigro-pilosa, tegulis abdomineque piceis; alis violaceis. 9. Long. 19 millim. ,

Hab. GUATEMALA, Quezaltenango 7800 feet (Champion).

The puncturing on the clypeus, face, and front close and strong, as also on the thorax ; central part of the metanotum opaque, closely transversely punctured; metapleure strongly and coarsely punctured, running into reticulations; sides of the prothorax strongly obliquely striolated; scutellum strongly punctured laterally, the centre with some longitudinal strie. Clypeus convex in the centre, the apex depressed at the base, almost transverse. yes parallel. Mandibles broadly piceous-red at the base. Third antennal joint three quarters longer than the fourth. The hair on the thorax is long and black; there is no pile. Petiole about one fourth longer than the hind coxe, covered with long black hair, and sparsely punctured. Abdomen bare, the apex only sparsely clothed with hair, punctured beneath; penultimate segment beneath almost transverse. Coxe (especially the posterior pair) strongly punctured and covered with long black hair; trochanters and femora more sparsely clothed with hair ; tibie pruinose on the underside, sparsely spinose; tibie thickly spinose. The base of the tibie and the tarsi incline to piceous, as does also the clypeus. First transverse cubital nervure curved at the top; second cubital cellule one third the length of the bottom at the top, receiving the first recurrent nervure a little before the middle, the second not far from the apex, the cubital nervure being considerably angled where it is received; third transverse cubital nervure bent outwardly at the bottom, directed towards the base at the top, thus making the cellule narrower at the top than at the bottom. | |

The piceous colour on the abdomen is marked with black patches; the apical two segments are for the greater part black.

Other examples from Totonicapam, 8500 to 10,500 feet, are probably referable to the same species, but differ in being smaller (averaging 13 millim.), and deep black in colour without any trace of piceous or reddish coloration. This form shows variation in the intensity of the sculpture and in the shape of the second and third cubital cellules.

AMMOPHILA.—PELOPQUS. 23

V ; . 35. Ammophila argentifrons, Ammophila argentifrons, Cresson, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. iv. p. 462 (1865) *. Ammophila mexicana, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 25 (1868) *.

Hab. Norva America, Colorado 1.—Mexico, Cordova ?, Teshuitlan 2.

V 36. Ammophila luctuosa. Ammophila luctuosa, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 26°; ? Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p- 224 (1867) * Hab. Norra America?.—Mexico, Cordova !, Orizaba!, Teshuitlan 1, Chapultepec’.

It is doubtful if this is identical with the North-American A. luctuosa, Smith. Saussure’s species comes nearest to A. piceiventris.

Y 87. Ammophila quadridentata.

Nigra, punctata, dense nigro-pilosa; abdomine rufo-testaceo; clypeo quadri-dentato; alis violaceo-fuligi- nosis. 9. Long. 24 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Ventanas in Durango 2000 feet (/orrer).

Head broad, rather long, densely covered with black hair, closely and strongly punctured ; clypeus deeply incised in the middle, the incision bordered by a double tooth, and there is a nipple-like tooth on either side of this. Thorax densely pilose, the hair long and black; closely and strongly punctured; metanotum closely, transversely, and rugosely striolated in the middle, the sides obliquely and rugosely punctured, the punctures running into reticulations; mesonotum broadly depressed at the sides, the furrow in the middle narrow and only visible on the basal half; a furrow in the centre of the pronotum. Scutellum with large separated punctures, the apex more or less striolated. Petiole slightly curved, fully one fourth longer than the hind coxe; irregularly blistered and punctured. Coxe (especially the hinder pair) strongly punc- tured, and covered with long black hair; trochanters and femora sparsely haired.

PELOPQEUS.

Pelopeus, Fabricius, Syst. Piez. p. 202 (1804); Latreille, Hist. Nat. Ins. xiii. (1804); Patton, Proc, Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 378.

I am inclined to agree with Patton in separating Chalybion from Pelopeus; the latter has a black body with yellow markings, the clypeus bilobate, and the petiole as long as the thorax; Chalybion, again, has the body metallic blue, the clypeus tridentate, and the petiole hardly so long as the metathorax.

Pelopwus has a wide range over the globe, especially in the warmer regions, and some of its representatives are very widely distributed. The species construct their mud-nest frequently in rooms and outhouses, and feed their young upon spiders.

24 HYMENOPTERA.

Kohl (Termés. fiizetek, ix. p. 158) treats Podium and Trigonopsis as subgenera of Pelopeus. Podium differs from Pelopeus in the prothorax being produced into a neck ; in the third cubital cellule extending beyond the apex of the radial cellule; in the eyes reaching nearly to the base of the mandibles; and in the middle coxe being widely separated, and situated almost laterally. The antenne are placed close to the base of the clypeus; the head is somewhat triangular; and the body is black, neither metallic nor with yellow markings. Tvrigonopsis agrees with Podium (and differs from Pelopeus) in the prothorax being elongated, and in the third cubital cellule extending beyond the radial; but it differs from Podium in the middle coxe not being so widely separated, in the prothorax being much more elongate, and the head and apex of the abdomen triangular in shape, the head being greatly narrowed behind the eyes, the latter reaching the base of the mandibles. The body is metallic; the second recurrent nervure is usually interstitial.

1. Pelopeus cementarius. (Tab. II. fig. 9.) Sphex cementaria, Drury, Exot. Ins. i. p. 105, t. 44. figg. 6, 8. Pelopeus cementarius, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 29. Sphex flavipunctata, Christ, Hymen. p. 301. 16, t. 30. fig. 1. Sphex lunata, Fabr. Ent. Syst. 1. p. 208. Pelopeus lunatus, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 203. 4. Pelopeus affinis, Fabr. loc. cit. p. 205. 5. Pelopeus flavipes, Fabr. loc. cit. p. 202.18; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 233. Pelopeus architectus, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins., Hymén. i. p. 313. Pelopeus solieri, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, loc. cit. p. 318; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. P 281. Pelopeus canadensis, Smith, loc. cit. p. 233. Sphex jamaicensis, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. p. 203. Pelopeus jamaicensis, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 204.

Hab. Norra America, Canada, United States—Mexico, Ventanas 2000 feet, Presidio (Forrer); British Honpuras (Blancaneauz) ; Nicaracua, Chontales (Janson); Panama (Boucard).—BRaziu; ANTILLES. —

The numerous specimens from our region do not show much variation in colour, the © pronotum broadly above, the tubercles, tegule, scutellum, postscutellum, a mark on the side of the metathorax, the median segment, and a broad band on the second abdominal segment, having the usual yellow markings. There is a slight variation in the amount of yellow on the legs; and the wings vary somewhat in tint.

V2. Pelopeus vindex.

Pelopeus vindex, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins., Hymén. iii. p. 317.

Pelopeus vindex, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 31°.

Pelopeus figulus, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 23; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins, iv. p. 234. Pelopeus chilensis, Spinola in Gay’s Hist. fisica y polit. de Chile, vi. p. 395.

PELOP@US.—CHALYBION. 25

Pelopeus assimilis, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 23. Pelopeus annulatus, Cresson, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. 1865, p. 185”.

Hab. Norta America.—Mexico, Tampico 1, Cordova !, Orizaba!.—SoutH AMERICA, Brazil, Chili, Patagonia; ANTILLES, Cuba 2.

Vv 3. Pelopeeus histrio. (Tab. Il. figg. 11; lla,c.) Pelopeus histrio, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins., Hymén. ii. p. 316. Pelopeus histrio, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 32°. Pelopeus bimaculatus, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, loc. cit. p. 319. Pelopeus fistularius, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 28. Hab. Mexico !, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schumann); GuatemaLa, El Reposo, Pantaleon, San Gerénimo, Panzos in Vera Paz (Champion).—Sovutu America !, Cayenne, Brazil.

CHALYBION. Chalybion, Dahlbom, Hymen. Europ. i. p. 21 (1845).

i. Wings dark-violaceous ; body covered with black hair.

1. Chalybion czeruleum. Sphex cerulea, Linneus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 941. Pelopeus ceruleus, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 26°. Chalybion ceruleum, Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 378. Hab. Norta America, Middle and Southern States 1.—Mexico, Cordova ', Jaral in Guanajuato (Schumann).

J 9, Chalybion zimmermanni. (Tab. II. figg. 12; 124, ¢.) Pelopeus zimmermanni, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 221; Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 379. Pelopeus zimmermanni, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 26’. Hab. Nortn America, Carolina 1—Mexico, Ventanas (Forrer), Cordova?, Michoa- can *, Valladolid in Yucatan (Gawmer).

C. (Pelopeus) californicum, Saussure (Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 26), is no doubt identical with this species.

ii. Wings pellucid, smoky at the apex; body covered with cinereous hair.

V3. Chalybion aztecum.

Pelopeus aztecus, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 26°.

Hab. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schumann), Tampico!, Jalapa‘, Michoacan’, Teapa in Tabasco (4. H. Smith). BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II., November, 1888. EE

26 HYMENOPTERA.

This I consider to be probably conspecific with C. zimmermanni. In the latter I find some variation in the colour of the wings and pubescence ; and in the examples I regard ‘as its male the wings are hyaline, smoky at the apex, and the pubescence is cinereous. In fact the difference in the colour of the wings and pubescence is doubtless a sexual character. Out of nearly thirty males before me only one has the wings entirely violaceous.

TRIGONOPSIS. Trigonopsis, Perty, Del. Anim. Art. Brasil. p. 142 (1830-1834).

This is exclusively a Neotropical genus and contains few species.

1. Trigonopsis violaceus. (Tab. II. fig. 13.) Trigonopsis violaceus, Smith, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 2nd ser. vii. p. 31 (1851)’.

Hab. Guatemata, San Juan in Vera Paz (Champion); Panama, David in Chiriqui (Champion).—Braziu !, Para}.

PODIUM. Podium, Fabricius, Syst. Piez. p. 183 (1804).

This is also treated as a subgenus of Pelopwus by Kohl (Termés. fiizetek, ix. p. 158). The species are exclusively American, chiefly Neotropical. |

1 (8). Legs black. 2 (7). Second cubital cellule not narrowed at the top; prothorax and petiole

not very elongate ; second recurrent nervure received a little past

the middle. 3 (6). Wings yellow, the second transverse cubital nervure curved. 4 (5). Tegule black; petiole (2?) more than twice the length of the hind

coxe ; pubescence on the metanotum not golden . . . . . . = albovillosum. 5 (4). Tegule red; petiole (9) the length of the hind coxe; pubescence

on the metanotum golden ... . toe ee luteipenne. 6 (83). Wings violaceous, spotted with fuscous ; second transverse cubital

nervure straight. . . . 2... «ss oo + 6 « « « bugabense. 7 (2). Second cubital cellule narrowed at the top ; second recurrent nervure

received before the middle of the cellule ; prothorax and petiole

elongate . . . 2. 6 1 ew ee ee ~ . . . bellum. 8 (1). Legs red (second cubital cellule subtrigonal, the 3 recurrent nervures received at the base and apex) . . . . . . . . . . . . rufipes.

\ 4. Podium albovillosum. (Tab. II. figg. 14, 144, 148, 3.)

“Nigrum, albo-pilosum ; metanoto transverse punctato ; alis flavis, apice fumatis. ¢ Q. Long. 30-34 millim.

Hab, Panama, Bugaba (Champion).

PODIUM. 27

Head and thorax sparsely punctured, the mesothorax and scutellum more shining and almost impunctate; metanotum almost opaque, closely transversely punctured and deeply and widely sulcated down the middle. Clypeus in male produced in the middle, and deeply incised there, the sides of the incision produced into two teeth; in the female not so much produced, the incision very slight, and the sides scarcely produced into teeth. Petiole rather more than twice the length of the hind coxa, villose. Tibiz and tarsi covered with a close short downy pile, the tibize bearing a few bristles. The first recurrent nervure is received a little before the first transverse cubital nervure, the second a little beyond the middle of the cellule.

V9, Podium luteipenne. (Tab. II. figg. 15, 15 a.) Pepsis luteipennis, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 210. Podium luteipenne, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 23; Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins. , Hymén. iii. p. 824; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 235, t. 6. fig. 2°. Podium flavipenne, Latr. Gen. Crust. et Ins. iv. p. 59. Podium latreillei, Spinola, Mem. Accad. Torino, xiii. ser. 2, p. 51.

Hab. Panama, San Feliz (Champion).—Soutu Amemrica, Cayenne}, Brazil }.

A smaller species than P. albovillosum; differing otherwise in having the legs more or less red, the tegule red, the thorax not so densely pilose, and the pile on the meta- thorax with a golden hue, the incision in the clypeus deeper and at the middle the clypeus does not project so much, the face covered with a dense silvery-white pile, the petiole shorter (in female), not being much longer than the hind coxe, the abdomen longer and narrower, and generally it is a more slender-looking insect.

V3. Podium bugabense. (Tab. II. figg. 16, 16 a.)

Nigrum, longe nigro-pilosum, clypeo octo-dentato ; metanoto punctato; alis fere hyalinis, fusco-maculatis. Long. 24 millim.

Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion).

Head bearing rather long black hairs; the cheeks sparsely covered with silvery pile. Clypeus broadly rounded, armed in the centre with eight short stout teeth. Prothorax not much longer than broad, furrowed in the centre above; covered with a dense silvery pile, besides the long hair. Pro- and mesonotum very sparsely punctured ; the pleure rather strongly punctured; metanotum closely (but not very strongly) punc- tured, broadly and deeply furrowed down the centre, the furrow transversely striated. Petiole short, about one third longer than the hind coxe, curved, about one third of the length of the abdomen. Coxe and femora sparsely covered with long hair; the tibie beneath with a dense fulvous pile; tarsi rather strongly spinose. The second cubital cellule of equal length throughout, above a little longer than the third cellule ; the first recurrent nervure is received a little in front of the second, the second recur- rent at an equal distance before the third transverse cubital nervure.

EE 2

{ 28 HYMENOPTERA.

4, Podium bellum. (Tab. II. figg. 17, 17a.)

Nigrum, sparse villosum et pilosum; clypeo inciso, bidentato; metanoto transverse striato; cellula cubitali 2° latiore quam longiore; alis fusco-maculatis. ¢. Long. 21 millim.

Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion).

Face rather densely covered with a silvery-white pubescence; the front and vertex almost glabrous, impunctate; the incision in the clypeus is broad and deep, the teeth stout. Pro- and mesothorax sparsely punctured, shining, covered (but not very thickly) with rather long, soft, white hair, the metanotum with a shorter, closer, and thicker pile. Metanotum punctured and transversely striated, the centre very slightly depressed. Prothorax narrowed in front, longer than broad, nearly as long as the mesothorax to _ the middle of the scutellum, its sides behind obliquely striolated. Abdomen slender, | acuminate, scarcely one fourth longer than the petiole. Petiole curved, three times the length of the hind coxe, sparsely pilose, shining. Legs downy, the coxe with rather long pale hairs, the tibie almost without bristles, the tarsi with stout bristles. Wings smoky-violaceous, clouded at the transverse basal nervure, below the stigma at the second cubital cellule, and at the apex; second cubital cellule broader than long, narrowed above; the first recurrent nervure almost interstitial, the second received before the middle of the cellule.

This species forms a transition to Trigonopsis, the only difference being that the head is not so triangular.

, 5. Podium rufipes. (Tab. II. figg. 18, 18 a.)

? Podium rufipes, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 183. Podium rufipes, Saussure, Reise de Novara, Hymen. p. 86'; Cresson, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. iv.

p- 211’. Hab. Nortu America, Texas ?.—MeExtco1, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schumann), Temax in North Yucatan (Gauwmer).—BRazIL.

In the male of this species the head and thorax are covered rather densely with long black hair; the clypeus and cheeks have a velvety pile; the clypeus is incised in the middle, and has a tooth on either side of the incision; the mandibles are black; the wings are much more suffused with fuscous and have a violaceous tinge, and the nervures and tegule are blackish.

The Brazilian P. denticulatum, Smith, is very closely allied to P. rujipes (if the two be not one and the same species), but differs from it in the clypeus having six teeth in the female; asin P. rufipes, the clypeus in the male has only two teeth and the body is more pubescent in the male than in the female.

SPHEX. 29

SPHEX.

Sphex, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. 11. p. 198 (1793) (partim) ; Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 882.

Chlorion, Latreille, Hist. Nat. Crust. et Ins. iv. p. 57 (1809) (partim) ; Patton, loc. cit. p. 379.

Proneus, Latreille, loc. cit. iv. p.56 (1809); W. Saunders, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. iii. p.58 (1841).

Priononyx, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 28 (1848) ; Patton, loc. cit. p. 384.

Harpactopus, F. Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 264 (1856).

Isodontia, Patton, loc. cit. p. 380 (1881).

Sphex, as here defined, includes Chlorion, Isodontia, Sphex (sensu stricto, auct.), Harpactopus, and Priononyz. The characters on which these genera are grounded merge so gradually into each other that they do not furnish a rigid means of definition ; and, moreover, if these names be accepted as valid, it would inevitably necessitate the creation of other genera. Under these circumstances I quite agree with Kohl and André in sinking Jsodontia, Chlorion, Harpactopus, and Priononys to sectional value. The genus is of almost world-wide distribution; and the species, so far as is known, prey on Orthoptera.

i. Tarsal claws unidentate. (Chlorion and Proneus.)

This section is representative of the Oriental region and of America. The species are large and metallic blue or green or violet. The tarsal claws are unidentate; the clypeus has three teeth in the female and five in the male; and the petiole is some- what longer than the hind coxe. The species are few in number. Cresson treats Chlorion as a distinct genus. |

1. Sphex cerulea.

Sphex cerulea, Drury, Exot. Ins. ii. p. 75, t. 39. f. 8.

Chlorion ceruleum, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 2887; Riley, Ist Report U.S. Ent. Comm. p. 319, fig. 58 (1878) *.

Chlorion cyaneum, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 24.

Hab. Norra America ! 2,—Mexico |.

S. cerulea feeds on spiders and also on locusts. Riley? states that one-of his assistants, Mr. A. N. Godfrey, saw one sting a pupa of the Rocky-Mountain locust (Caloptenus spretus), bury it in its nest, and lay an egg at the point of junction between the hind femur and the body.

30 HYMENOPTERA.

ii. Tarsal claws bidentate. (Sphex and Isodontia.)

A. Petiole as long as or scarcely longer than the hind core; radial cellule extending beyond the third cubital cellule; clypeus in female crenate or with short teeth. (Sphex, Cresson.)

Ng, Sphex erythroptera. (Tab. III. fig. 1,2; lac.)

Nigra, nigro-pilosa ; alis rufo-flavis, apice fere fumatis. ¢ 9. Long. 30-34 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Orizaba (H. H. Smith), Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer); BritisH Honpuras, Cayo (Blancaneaux); GuateMaLa, Las Mercedes 3000 feet, Volcan de. Atitlan 2500 to 3500 feet, San Gerénimo (Champion); Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers) ; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 3000 feet (Champion).

Antenne a little longer than the thorax; the third joint two and a quarter times longer than the second. Head subopaque, densely covered with longish black hair ; apex of the clypeus projecting, slightly incurved in the centre; face and clypeus with scattered punctures; eyes almost parallel along the face, slightly converging at the top. Mandibles aciculated, the basal half with large punctures, the central part more or less obscure rufous. Thorax sparsely clothed with hair and thickly covered with dense, black, velvety pile; top of the pronotum rather sharply raised and separated from the mesonotum, the centre slightly depressed ; centre of the mesonotum furrowed ; scutellum impunctate, a broad shallow depression down the middle; postscutellum with a more or less broad depression in the centre, making it almost bituberculate ; metanotum opaque, coarsely alutaceous, a broad furrow in the centre, the furrow broadest at the apex. Petiole shorter than the hind coxe, shining, sparsely covered with long black hairs. Abdomen scarcely so long as, and narrower than, the thorax ; shining, impunctate at the base; the apex sparsely punctured and bearing long hair. Posterior tibiae and tarsi behind clothed with a fulvous pile; rather strongly pilose. First and second transverse cubital nervures very oblique, the first slightly curved, the second quite straight ; the third at the base directed outwardly below the middle, then directed sharply towards the base of the cellule (above, the top of the cellule is less than the space bounded by the second transverse and second recurrent nervures); the second recurrent nervure is received a little before the middle of the cellule; the first recurrent nervure is received in the apical third.

Under the name of Sphex rujipennis, Fabr., a species has been recorded from Persia, India, North Africa, and South America. This species does not appear to be separable from S. erythroptera by any very tangible character, and I should have been inclined to consider it identical with the Indian one, which is certainly the S. rujfipennis, Fabr. (=S. diabolicus, Smith), if the genital armature of the males were not so markedly

SPHEX. 3l

different. It is, however, quite possible that S. erythroptera is identical with S. ruji- pennis, Kohl (nec rufipennis, Fabr.=/luteipennis, Mocsdry), a species also known from India and North Africa, and, as Kohl informs me, from Venezuela; or, at least, a form which cannot be separated from it. ‘Kohl tells me also that the true S. rufipennis, Fabr., differs from the species he has described under that name (Termés. fiizetek, ix. p- 198) in having the postscutellum bituberculate, the antenne thinner, and the wings black at the base. The furrow in the postscutellum varies in width and depth in the specimens from our region, and the wings are sometimes blackish at the base (but not to the same extent as in the form S. diabolicus, Smith); consequently I cannot look upon these characters as altogether satisfactory for separating the two. In view of the

fact that the male-armature is so distinct in S. rufipennis, Fabr. (which was first described from India), I have thought that less confusion will be created by giving our species a distinct name, leaving it for further research to decide if it is identical with S. lutetpennis, Mocsary.

J 3. Sphex beata. (Tab. III. figg. 2, 2; 2a, ¢.) Nigra, femoribus tibiisque anticis rufis, capite, pro- et mesonoto dense aureo-villosis, metanoto dense albo- villoso ; alis violaceis. of @. Long. 30 millim. . Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer); Guatema.a, Pantaleon 1700 feet

(Champion).

On the head the golden pile is very dense, except on the centre of the clypeus, and on the vertex and occiput (perhaps rubbed off); the pronotum in front is bare, and the centre of the mesonotum also. yes parallel, but very slightly converging at the top. Clypeus with some large punctures, the apex rounded, the furrow wide and deep; basal half of the mandibles reddish, aciculated. Mesonotum slightly depressed towards the apex in the centre, as is also the pronotum ; metanotum opaque, coarsely transversely aciculate, densely covered with a soft, white, woolly pubescence, and slightly depressed in the centre towards the apex. Petiole as long as the hind coxe, sparsely covered with white hair. Apex of the abdomen slightly punctured, and sparsely covered with long hair.

/ 4, Sphex hirsuta. (Tab. III. figg. 3,2; 34, 3.) Sphex hirsutus, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 40 (¢)’.

Hab. Mexico (Sallé), Orizaba 1, Cordova ! (Sumichrast).

The female has been captured in Mexico by Sallé. It has the mesonotum in the centre and the pleure less strongly pilose than in the male; the tegule rufous (in the male they are more or less blackish); the labrum keeled down the centre; and the mandibles broadly black at the base (this being also the case, but to a less extent, in the male).

32 HYMENOPTERA.

y 5. Sphex guatemalensis. (Tab. III. figg. 4,9; 44,¢.)

Nigra, capite et thorace longe aureo-hirtis, abdomine subtus, basi mandibularum, femoribus subtus late, geni- culis, tibiis tarsisque, rufis; alis fusco-hyalinis, apice fumatis, fere violaceis. ¢ Q. Long. 28 millim.

Hab. GuateMata, San Geronimo (Champion).

The golden hair is very bright and dense on the face, clypeus, front, pronotum above, prosternum, sides of mesonotum, mesopleure below the tegulz, tubercles, and on meta- notum ; on the rest of the thorax it is thinner and fulvous. Middle of the clypeus projecting, incised in the centre. Scutellum comparatively bare, deeply sulcated in the centre, and more shining than the mesonotum. A furrow in the centre of the meta- notum. Petiole as long as the hind coxe, densely covered with pale golden hair, sulcated in the centre above. Abdomen with an olive tinge, sericeous. Coxe and trochanters densely covered with a golden pile, the tibie and tarsi also pilose.

The male has, as usual, the hair on the head and thorax much thicker and longer ; the abdominal segments reddish along the sides and at the extreme base and apex above ; and the clypeus truncated at the apex and not produced in the middle. The amount of red on the femora varies. S. guatemalensis may be known from SN. hirsuta by the wings not being yellow and having the nervures black, the petiole sulcated, and the abdomen reddish beneath, and also by the much brighter golden pile, &c.

N 6. Sphex tinctipennis. (Tab. III. fig. 5, ¢.)

Nigra, capite thoraceque longe fusco-pilosis, facie argenteo-pilosis; clypeo truncato; alis flavo-fuscis, apice fumatis. @. ‘Long. 20 millim. ~

Hab. Guatemata, El Tumbador 2500 feet (Champion) ; Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers).

Sparsely punctured, shining ; metanotum opaque, finely transversely striated. Hair longish, varying in tint from pale to fuscous, but inclining to fulvous on the meta- notum ; the tubercles, a stripe along the top of the pronotum, the metanotum at the base, and a spot on either side of the apex of the latter, silvery. Antennz longer than the thorax, the fourth joint about half the length of the third. Apex of the clypeus projecting, almost truncated, but indistinctly waved. yes slightly converging at the apex. Frontal furrow small, narrow, shallow. F urrow in the centre of the meso- notum indistinct, but along the sides broad, shallow ; scutellum indistinctly depressed in the centre. Petiole stout, curved, and as long as the hind coxe; sparsely covered with long pale hairs. Abdomen sparsely clothed at the base with soft pale hair, at the apex still more sparsely with longer fuscous hair. ‘Legs more or less pruinose, the coxe bearing longish silvery hair, the trochanters and femora more sparsely clothed with hair. Second cubital cellule a little wider above than beneath ; the third at the top about one fifth of the length of the bottom, being there less than the space bounded by the second transverse cubital and the second recurrent nervures.

SPHEX. 33

7. Sphex chichimeca. (Tab. ITI. figg. 6, 6a, 3.)

Sphex chichimecus, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 40°.

Hab. Mexico, Orizaba!; Honpuras, Ruatan Island (Gaumer).

A specimen from Honduras (presumably identical with 8. chichimeca) has the wings deep violaceous throughout and hardly fainter in tint towards the apex; the apical ventral segments thickly covered with rather long fulvous hair; and the petiole a little longer than the hind coxe.

Vg. Sphex singularis. (Tab. III. figg. 7, 74,3.)

y

Sphex singularis, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 261 ( 3)’.

Nigra, longe fulvo- vel aureo-hirta; abdomine sericeo, basi interdum rufo-maculata; alis hyalinis, apice

fumatis. <¢. Long. 18--21 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (Forrer), Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith); GuateMata, San Gerénimo (Champion); Honpuras!; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 2000 to 3000 feet (Champion).

Antenne as long as the thorax, thickened towards the apex, covered with a sericeous pile; the fourth joint scarcely half the length of the third, and shorter than the fifth. Face densely covered with long golden, the front and vertex more sparsely with fulvous, hair; clypeus almost truncate at the apex; vertex and front opaque, closely aciculate. Thorax opaque, closely aciculate ; a line on the top of the pronotum, the tubercles, a line at the base of the metanotum, an oblique one along the metapleure, and a spot on either side of the metanotum, silvery; the hair pale fulvous, long and dense, especially on the metanotum; the furrow on the mesonotum shallow ; scutellum convex, without depression in the centre. Petiole a little longer than the hind coxe ; silvery-pilose, and covered with long pale hair. Abdomen with a bluish tinge, seri- ceous, the base and apex bearing fuscous hair; the sides at the base of the first and second segments rufous; a tuft of golden hair on either side of the apical segment. Coxee densely covered with silvery pile, and with long pale fulvous hair; trochanters, femora, and tibiz sericeous; calcaria, tibial spines, and the brush at the base of the metatarsus, reddish. Second cubital cellule nearly equal in width at the top and bottom; the third much narrowed at the top, being there scarcely half the length of the space bounded by the second recurrent and second transverse cubital nervures ; first recurrent nervure received quite close to the second transverse cubital.

So far as Smith’s description! goes, it only differs from the specimens I have described in the third cubital cellule being “‘ subpetiolate.”

9. Sphex tepaneca. Sphex tepanecus, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 41, t. 2. fig. 23 (¢)".

Hab. Mexico, Mextitlan !. BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. I1., February 1889. FF

34 | HYMENOPTERA.

10. Sphex mexicana. Sphex mexicana, Taschenberg, Zeitschr. ges. Nat. Sachs. Thiir. xxxiv. p. 416 (1869)’.

Hab. Mexico }.

‘11. Sphex ichneumonea. (Tab. III. figg. 8,9; 84, ¢.)

Sphex ichneumonea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 959; Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. p. 207; Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 26; Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins. Hymen. iii. p. 346; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 261’; Packard, Guide to the Study of Ins. p. 167 (1869).

Sphex dorsalis, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, loc. cit. p. 347; Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1862, p. 36’.

Sphex micans, Taschenberg, Zeitschr. ges. Nat. Sachs. Thiir. xxxiv. p. 419.

Sphex cresus, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, loc. cit. p. 8351; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 262°.

Hab. Norra America! 3,—Mexico 3, Orizaba (Ff. D. G.), Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schu- mann), Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith), Valladolid in Yucatan (Gaumer) ; GUATEMALA, El Reposo, Zapote, San Gerdénimo (Champion) ; Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt); Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers); Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion), Aspinwall ?. —Sourn America, Cayenne ?, Ega*, Santarem ?.

This is a somewhat variable species in size and coloration. The tegule are usually red, but sometimes verge into blackish; the amount of red on the abdomen varies in extent, and the apex is sometimes more or less of that colour, and the petiole occa- sionally shows traces of red ; the femora are sometimes lined above with black in both sexes; and the colour of the wings varies in intensity. In the male the hind tibie are usually lined behind with black; and the tarsi are more or less black. In some examples the hair inclines to cinereous in tint, but this is perhaps due to discoloration.

On the habits of this species, Mr. Stretch says:—“ From the sandy embankments of the railway at Aspinwall, it constructs a long burrow perpendicularly into the hard sand. I saw it bring a grasshopper as large as itself, with great difficulty, to the entrance of its burrow; laying it down, it retreated, apparently to see that all was ready, and then, re-emerging, seized the grasshopper and backed into its hole” (cf. Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1862, p. 36).

Packard (doc. cit.) gives the following account of its mode of life :—

“In the last week of July, and during August and early in September, we noticed nearly a dozen of these wasps busily engaged in digging their holes in a gravelly walk. In previous seasons they were more numerous, burrowing into grassy banks near the walk. The holes were from four to six inches deep. In beginning its hole, the wasp dragged away with its teeth a stone, one half as large as itself, to a distance of eight inches, while it pushed away others with its head. In beginning its burrow it used its large and powerful jaws almost entirely, digging to the depth of an inch in five minutes, completing its hole in about half an hour. After having inserted its head into the hole, where it loosened the earth with its jaws, and threw out the earth with its jaws

SPHEX. 35

and fore legs, it would retreat backwards and push the dirt still further from the mouth of the cell with its hind legs. In cases where the further progress of the work was stopped by a stone too large for the wasp to remove or dig round, it would abandon it and begin a new hole. Just as soon as it reached the required depth, the wasp flew a few feet to the adjoining bank, and falling upon an Orchelimum vulgare or O. gracile (two common grass-green katydid-like grasshoppers, about an inch long) stung and paralyzed it instantly, bore it to its nest and was out of sight for a moment, and while in the bottom of its hole must have deposited its egg in its victim. Reappearing, it began to draw the sand back into the hole, scratching it in quite briskly by means of its fore spiny tarsi, while standing on its two hind pairs of legs. It thus threw in half an inch of dirt upon the grasshopper and then flew off. In this way one Sphex will make two or three such holes in an afternoon. The walk was hard and composed of coarse sea-gravel, and the rapidity with which the wasp worked her way in with tooth and nail was marvellous.”

B. Petiole more than twice the length of the hind core ; radial cellule not extending beyond the third cubital cellule ; clypeus in female usually with a slight notch in the middle and a small tooth on each side of it. (Isodontia, Patton.)

V 12. Sphex azteca. (Tab. IIL. fige. 9, 9a, ¢.) Sphex aztecus, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 38, t. 2. fig. 22 (9 )*.

Hab. Mexico, Cordova 1, Valladolid in Yucatan (Gawmer).

V 43. Sphex costipennis. (Tab. III. fig. 10, 3.)

Sphezx costipennis, Spinola, Mem. Accad. di Torino, xiii. p. 54 (1858) (?)'; Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 39’.

Sphea petiolata, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 259 (3)°; Taschenberg, Zeitschr. ges. Nat. Sachs. Thiir. xxxiv. p. 417%. . Hab. GuateMa.a, San Gerdnimo, El Reposo 800 feet (Champion); Costa Rica, Cache

(Rogers); Panama, Bugaba 800 to 1500 feet (Champion).—Guiana, Surinam ?; Brazit, Novo Friborgo 4, Para ! 23,

Vou. Sphex apicalis. Sphex apicalis, Harris, Ins. of Massachusetts’; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 262 (¢)?; Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 38 (¢ 2)’. Sphex apicalis, var. mexicana, Saussure, loc. cit.‘ Sphex philadelphica, Lepel. de St.-Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins. Hymen. iii. p. 340°. Isodontia philadelphica, Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 380°.

Hab. Norta America, United States 1235 6—Mexico, Orizaba4, J alapa 4, Cordova 4.

Saussure says that his var. mexicana does not differ in any essential particulars from | FF 2

36 HYMENOPTERA.

S. nigella, Smith (Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 255), from Shanghai ; Kohl (Termés. fuzetek, ix. p. 193) also regards the two as possibly identical, and records S. nigella from Swan River.

w 15. Sphex robusta. (Tab. III. fig. 11, ¢ .)

Nigro-cerulea, sparse punctata, breviter pilosa; alis violaceis. dQ. Long. 23 millim. '

Hab. Mxxico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schumann), Temax in North Yucatan (Gauwmer).

Antennal joints somewhat thickened towards the base and apex ; the third joint much thinner than the others, and fully one quarter longer than the fourth. Head large, not dilated behind the eyes, but largely developed there ; sparsely punctured ; the vertex shining, bearing a few long hairs and almost devoid of pubescence; front more thickly clothed with hair, and bearing a silvery pubescence ; clypeus, face, and cheeks densely silvery-pubescent, and thickly covered with long black hair, the hair becoming rufous on the apex of the clypeus. Apex of the clypeus with two stout teeth in the middle, the teeth separated by an incision as broad as themselves ; mandibles shining, broadly excavated at the base on the outer side, the apical tooth large and blunt. Thorax punctured, the metathorax very closely and transversely so and opaque; the mesonotum covered with a rather short sparse griseous pubescence, the pleure more thickly pubescent; the metapleure densely covered with greyish hair ; the metanotum bearing long blackish hair, the pleure closely, almost rugosely, punc- tured; scutellum shining, sparsely punctured, slightly depressed in the middle. Petiole hardly twice the length of the hind coxe. Abdomen narrow, almost glabrous, as long as the thorax; the apical segment with a few blackish hairs, and irregularly punctured. Coxe punctured and bearing some pale hairs ; femora sparsely punctured ; tibiee and tarsi with the spines stout, blunt; the metatarsal brush rufous. The wings are paler towards the apex; the second cubital cellule receives the recurrent nervure near the apex, and is of nearly equal width throughout ; the third cubital cellule receives the second recurrent nervure at a somewhat greater distance from the second transverse cubital nervure; the radial cellule extends a little beyond the third cubital.

In the male the clypeus has a slight indentation in the middle; the head and thorax are clothed with rather long erect pale hair (much longer and thicker than in the female); the petiole is a little longer; the apical four ventral segments bear tufts of hair in the centre; and the wings are clearer posteriorly.

iii. Tarsal claws 5-dentate. (Priononyx, Dahlbom.)

16. Sphex thome. (Tab. III. figg. 12,2; 124, 3.)

Sphex thome, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. p. 199.

Pepsis thome, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 209.

Priononyx thome, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 28 ; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 265’; Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 437; Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 384.

SPHEX.—RHINOPSIS. 37

Hab. Norta America, United States !2%—_Mexico, Presidio (Forrer), Michoacan ? ; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 2000 to 6000 feet (Champion).—Souta America}, Brazil }, Amazons !, Buenos Ayres”, Monte Video?; AntiLiEs?, St. Thomas 1, Jamaica}, Cuba ?.

Fam. AMPULICIDA.

| AMPULEX., Ampulex, Jurine, Nouv. Méth. de Class. les Hymén. et les Dipt. p. 182 (1807).

This genus was founded on Chlorion compressum, Fabr., and Ampulex fasciata, Jurine. The former has four distinct cubital cellules, and the body shining metallic green, coppery, or blue; while the latter has only three cubital cellules, and the body is not metallic or blue or green. A. fasciata appears to me to belong to the genus Rhinopsis, Westw., of which we have one species in our region. Ampulex is found in the Oriental, Ethiopian, and Neotropical regions ; it preys on species of Blattide.

Jy. Ampulex angusticollis. (Tab. III. figg. 18,2; 134, 3.) Ampulex angusticollis, Spinola, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. x. p. 108 (?)*; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 271°. Chlorion angusticolle, Westw. Arc. Ent. ii. p. 66°. Hab. Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers); Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui 2000 to 3000 feet (Champion).—Gutana, Cayenne 1?3; Brazit, Para 2.

This is a common species in Costa Rica and the State of Panama; it varies greatly

in size.

RHINOPSIS.

Rhinopsis, Westwood, Arc. Ent. ii. p. 68 (1843-1845); Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1887, Suppl. part 1, p. 113.

Rhinopsis was founded on a North-American species (2. abbottit), the only one (unless the European Ampulex fasciata, Jurine, is regarded as belonging to it) hitherto known. By Cresson the genus is formed into a distinct “family,” separated from the Sphegide and other Fossores (except the Pemphredonide) by the wings having only ‘two complete cubital cellules”; but that definition would cut off Rhinopsis from Ampulex, to which it is clearly allied. A better point of distinction between Ampulex and the other Fossores consists in the first, instead of the second, cubital cellule receiving the first recurrent nervure. ‘The rostrate clypeus, the large free mandibles, the elongated prothorax, and the large cubital metathorax, which usually ends in two teeth laterally, are also characteristic of Ampulex.

38 CL HYMENOPTERA.

~ 1. Bhinopsis maculicornis. (Tab. III. fig. 14, 2 .)

Niger, albo-villosus, scapo medioque antennarum, pedibus apiceque abdominis, rufis; alis hyalinis, fusco-macu- latis. 9. Long. 8 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Jalapa (fF. D. G.); Panama, Bugaba (Champion).

Antenne as long as the head and thorax united, thickened towards the apex; the third joint longer than the fourth and fifth united. Head rugosely punctured, covered with a short white pubescence, and with a few hairs; clypeus finely punctured, and covered with long white hair, its apex projecting into a snout and reddish, as are also the tips of the mandibles; behind, the head is largely developed, rounded, and narrowed ; the front and vertex are convex, rounded, and without any furrows; the ocelli are placed opposite the top of the eyes. Prothorax thickly pilose, as long as the mesothorax, twice longer than broad, narrowed anteriorly; above, towards the apex, furrowed, the sides in front rising on either side of the furrow into broad tubercles. Mesonotum hardly so pilose as the prothorax; marked with large, scattered punctures. Scutellum marked with a few scattered punctures. Metathorax longer than the meso- thorax; bearing a central and four lateral keels (the central straight, that next to it curved, converging towards the apex, the second also slightly curved, the others straight); the space between the keels transversely striolated; in the centre the meta- notum projects into a blunt tooth truncated at the apex, and laterally bears a sharp moderately long tooth. The petiole is a little longer than the hind coxe. The apical abdominal segments are closely covered with a white pubescence. Wings as long as the thorax, largely suffused with fuscous in the middle; both the recurrent nervures are received before the middle of the cellules.

Fam. LARRIDA.

I adopt this term in the sense in which it is used by Kohl in his admirable paper, “Die Gattungen und Arten der Larriden” (Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1884, p. 171). As there understood, 7rypoxrylon is included in the family, this genus being by most authors either placed in the Crabronide or made into a distinct family—the “ Trypoxy- lonide.” If the strict analytical system now so much in vogue is to be followed, the latter doubtless is the most logical method; but I must confess that I question very much the utility, to say nothing of a natural arrangement, of forming “ families ” which can only be separated by one character, and that, moreover, of dubious taxonomical value.

In truth, the various groups of Sphegide, Larride, Bembicide, &c., can only be regarded as a complexus of genera equal in value to the Pompilide, Mutillide, and Formicide; and individually they cannot be considered as standing on the same level with the latter families, which are much more clearly defined from each other than are (say) the Larridee from the Bembicide.

PISON.—-TRYPOXYLON. 39

PISON.

Pison, Spinola, Ins. Lig. Spec. Nov. ii. fase. iv. p. 256 (1808). Tachybulus, Latreille, Gen. Crust. et Ins. iv. p. 75 (1809). Nephridia, Brullé, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. ii. p. 408 (1833). Pisonitus, Shuckard, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. ii. p. 79 (18387). Pisonoides, Smith, Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc., Zool. ii. p. 104 (1858). Parapison, Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1869, p. 298. Taranga, Kirby, Trans. Ent. Soc. 18838, p. 201. A genus of wide-world range, and of which nearly sixty species are known. The two (one doubtful) species recorded from our region belong to Pison “sensu stricto.”

“1. Pison conforme. Pison conformis, Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1869, p. 297°.

Hab. Mexico},

/ [2. Pison fasciatum. Pison fasciatum, Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges, Wien, 1883, p. 339°.

Hab. “ America,” Mexico aut Peru !.]

TRYPOXYLON. Trypozylon, Latreille, Préc. Car. gén. Ins. p. 121 (1796); Fabricius, Syst. Piez. p. 180 (1804) ; Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1884, p. 189.

Nearly eighty members of this genus have been described. Trypoxylon is represented in all the zoological regions, but by far the larger number of known species are from the Neotropical. They make their nests in twigs or in holes in wood, or form a mud- nest attached to twigs, and they store their nests with spiders.

Of our species, 7’. albitarse is the only one whose habits have been described. According to Mr. Peckolt (quoted by Mr. F. Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1868, p. 133), it is called in Cantagallo, Brazil, “ Marimbonda da Casa,” or house-wasp, from its building its nest especially in rooms; but it also builds out of doors on the vines &c. “It makes a clay-nest in the form of a long cylinder; . . . . there are from four to six divisions, and in each cell is laid one egg; the cell is filled with some kind of spider, and hermetically sealed ; and it is curious that precisely the required number of spiders is stored up, just sufficient to perfect the wasp, since none are ever found after the insect eats its way out of the earthen cell ” (Smith, loc. cit.).

40 HYMENOPTERA.

A. Metanotum not trisulcate, or with a V-shaped depression, impunctate, and not striated or furrowed at the base. (Species 1-9.)

i. Large, entirely black species, with black wings, more or less carinate clypeus, and whitish tarsi.

Si. Trypoxylon albitarse.

Trypoxylon albitarse, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 180; Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 286; Lepel. de St.- Fargeau, Hist. Nat. Ins. Hym. iii. p. 228, t.27.f.3; Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 76.

Trypoxylon albitarse, var. mexicana, Saussure, loc. cit. p. 72. (Mandibles red.) _

Trypoxylon politus, Say, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. i. p. 37°; Complete Writings, il. p. 756.

_ Hab. Nortu America, Indiana 1.—MeExico, Presidio (forrer) ; GuateMALA, El Reposo,

Zapote, San Geronimo, Lanquin, Cubilguitz (Champion); Nicaraeua, Chontales (Belt) ;

Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers); Panama (Boucard).—Sovtu America, Brazil.

A common and widely-distributed species in the New World. ‘The mandibles vary from black to red, and the pubescence from blackish to dull fulvous on the thorax.

“2, Trypoxylon cinereum. (Tab. IV. figg. 1, 1a; 13,6. Ss. Nigrum, cinereo-hirtum, facié et clypeo argenteo-pilosis ; clypeo transverso, non carinato ; metanoto trans- verse striato; tarsis posticis luteis; alis fuliginosis. ¢ 9. Long. 15-18 millim. Hab. Mexico, Presidio (Morrer), Valladolid in Yucatan (Gaumer); GuaTEMALA, Mirandilla 1700 feet (Champion).

In coloration similar to 7. albitarse, but readily distinguished from it by the clypeus not being keeled (only projecting roundly at the apex), the body covered with long cinereous hair, and the front, face, and clypeus bearing a dense silvery pubescence. Eyes touching the base of the mandibles, the latter piceous towards the middle. Front and vertex opaque, coriaceous, covered with long hair, which varies in colour from fuscous to cinereous; a moderately deep suture on the front in the centre. Pro- and mesothorax covered with shallow punctures ; metanotum closely transversely striated, except at the base, and (especially at the top) depressed in the centre. The pubescence on the mesonotum is dull cinereous; that on the pleure is longer and more silvery ; on the metathorax it is still longer. There is a perpendicular patch of silvery pile below the tegulz, on either side of the postscutellum, and on the sides of the pro- notum behind. The abdomen is longer and more slender than in 7. albitarse; the petiole is more slender, and becomes gradually thickened towards the apex, which is tumid above ; and the apical segments bear a short sparse pile. The wings are not so deeply coloured as in 7’. albitarse, and are lighter towards the base and apex. The pleural suture is deep and wide. The hind tarsi are black at the base and apex. The legs are more slenderly built than in 7. albitarse, and the hind tibie are not so dilated at the apex. There is no furrow on the front or vertex; the eyes at the top are separated by about the length of the third antennal joint.

TRYPOXYLON. | 4h

ii. Medium-sized species, with the wings almost hyaline but fuscous along the costa. a. Abdomen black, reddish at the base of' the second segment.

Vs, ‘Trypoxylon mexicanum. Trypoxylon mexicanum, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 78, t. 4. figg. 45, 45 6°.

Hab. Mexico, Tampico}, Jalapa!.

“4. Trypoxylon aztecum. (Tab. IV. fig. 2.) Trypoxylon aztecum, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 80°.

Hab. Nortu America, San Lucas in Lower California !.—Mexico, Presidio (Forrer), Pueblo viejo near Tampico !, Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith), N. Yucatan (Gaumer).

Vv 5. Trypoxylon lactitarse. Trypoxylon lactitarse, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 81". ,

Hab. Muxico, temperate region and eastern cordilleras !.

v 6. Trypoxylon luteitarse.

Trypoxylon luteitarse, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p, B82, t. 4. ARE: 47, 476". con elactat. mem ‘ CAM LA ee " tal haat ae fp Hab. Mexico, eastern cordilleras 1. Cher” Cane ve are)

V7, Trypoxylon carinifrons.

Nigrum, argenteo-hirtum, basi antennarum, tibiis, tarsis anticis basi abdominisque segmento 2° sordide rufis ; is fere hyalinis, cellula marginali fumata. Long. £1 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith, May 1888).

The five basal joints of the antenne broadly obscure rufous beneath; the third joint. fully. one quarter longer than the fourth; the apical joint rufous. Head opaque, coarsely alutaceous ; eyes at the top separated by nearly the length of the second and third antennal joints united. An obscure furrow runs down from the ocelli; and opposite the top of the eye-incision in the middle is a stout transverse keel crossing the longitudinal furrow. Clypeus broadly carinate. The face, eye-incision, cheeks, and clypeus densely covered with silvery pile. Thorax shining, minutely but obscurely punctured; the metanotum obscurely transversely striated; the pronotum, the sides of the mesonotum, and the greater part of the metanotum densely covered with silvery hair. Metanotum with a gradual rounded slope; a distinct continuous furrow in the centre of the apical half. Abdomen petiolated ; nearly twice the length of the thorax ; the first and second segments shining, obscure pale rufous beneath, but faintly pilose ; the petiole twice the length of the second segment, dilated at the base, the latter almost longer than the third; from the third the segments bear a close cinereous pile, observed as oblique bands. The wings have the apex from the stigma to the end

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II1., February 1889. ag

49 HYMENOPTERA.

smoky, the band not extending beyond the middle of the cubital cellules. Tegule fuscous. The anterior legs are all more or less rufous beneath ; the four hind femora beneath and the calcaria and claws are also rufous.

Characteristic of this species is the short transverse keel in the centre of the front.

8. Trypoxylon fulvispina.

Nigrum, cinereo-pilosum, fronte et vertice rugosis ; geniculis, basi abdominis segmento 2° spinisque, fulvis ; alis hyalinis, cellula marginali fumata. Long. 10 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith, Feb. 1888).

Antenne subclavate, covered with a dense pale pile; the third joint about one quarter longer than the fourth. Front and vertex uniformly, coarsely, and rugosely punctured ; sparsely covered with a fuscous pubescence ; a shallow, but distinct, furrow runs down from the ocelli; the latter piceous in colour and separated from the eyes by hardly the length of the second antennal joint. Eyes at the top separated by the length of the third antennal joint. The front projects in the centre a little above the antenne. Cheeks, face, and clypeus densely covered with silvery pubescence. Mandibles reddish, the tips blackish. There is a narrow shallow furrow on the occiput at the top. Clypeus slightly but broadly projecting, not carinate. Thorax shining ; covered with shallow, distinctly separated punctures, and clothed with fuscous pubescence ; the edges of the pronotum, the oblique furrow on the mesopleura, and the apex and the sides of the metanotum covered densely with silvery pubescence ; the sternum also bearing silvery pubescence. Metanotum finely transversely striated (indi- stinctly so at the base), and with a wide hollow in the centre of the apical half, the hollow having a fine furrow at its bottom. The two basal segments of the abdomen shining and almost glabrous; the others bearing a scattered short silvery pile, espe- cially along the sides. Tibize and tarsi densely covered with a short silvery pile; the spurs fulvous, the claws rufous.

This species comes near to 7’. carinifrons, but may be known from it by the coarsely rugose head, which wants the transverse keel on the front, the clypeus not carinate, the punctuation on the thorax covering a wider space, the wings much darker, and with the stigma dark fuscous, and the entirely black antenne.

b. Abdomen and legs for the greater part fulvous.

.\ 9. Trypoxylon fulvipes. (Tab. IV. fig. 3.)

Nigrum, aureo-hirtum, antennis, abdomine pedibusque fulvis ; alis hyalinis, stigmate testaceo, nervis fuscis. 9. Long. 12 millim,

Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion). Antenne as Jong as the head and thorax united ; blackish, broadly so beyond the

TRYPOXYLON. 43.

middle, covered with a white pile; the third joint fully one half longer than the fourth, the last longer than the penultimate. Head covered with golden pubescence, very densely on the face, clypeus, and éye-incision, sparsely on the vertex; the latter aluta- ceous, projecting broadly, widely furrowed behind the ocelli, and with a transverse keel in the middle, it being also keeled in the centre, and almost’ perpendicular below the transverse keel. Eyes at the top separated by fully the length of the third antennal joint. Clypeus broadly keeled down the middle, the apex projecting. Mandibles densely pilose, blackish at the tips. Thorax densely covered all over (except on the centre of the mesonotum, scutellum, and metanotum) with golden pubescence. Pronotum keeled in the middle; mesonotum minutely punctured; the metanotum transversely striated, and with a wide furrow in the apical half. Abdomen about one fourth longer than the head and thorax united ; the basal three segments blackish at the apex above, and almost bare, the other segments (especially the apical) covered with golden pubescence. The legs bear a pale pubescence ; the hind femora are infuscated above.

B. Metanotum broadly and deeply furrowed throughout ; abdomen and legs for the greater part fulvous. (Species 10.)

V 10. Trypoxylon balteatum. (Tab. IV. figg. 4, 4a.)

Nigrum, aureo-hirtum, basi antennarum late, clypeo, tegulis, abdominis segmentis 1°-3™ pedibusque fulvis ; alis flavo-hyalinis, nervis testaceis. 9°. Long. 13 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith, May 1888).

Antenne bearing a white microscopic down ; joints 1-4 and part of 5 fulvous; the third joint nearly twice the length of the fourth. Front and vertex alutaceous and bearing scattered punctures; the occiput, clypeus, the incision of the eyes, and the inner orbits thickly covered with golden hair. Ocelli hardly forming a triangle; the anterior ocellus placed in a hollow and separated from the posterior ones by the curved posterior margin of this hollow, from which runs a broad and deep furrow down the front. Eyes above separated by about the length of the second and third antennal joints united ; below by less than the length of the third. Clypeus slightly concave ; the apex broadly rounded and projecting, the margin clearly separated. Thorax shining, impunctate; the pronotum, a stripe along either side of the mesonotum, one on either side of the postscutellum and down the side of the metanotum thickly covered with golden hair; the pleure uniformly covered with fulvous hair, which does not form stripes or patches. Metathorax elongated, narrowed distinctly and gradually towards the apex; a broad and deep furrow in the centre above, divided into two where the slope begins; in the lower (and longer) part of the furrow are some transverse keels. Abdomen shining, impunctate, the apical segments covered with a pale fulvous down. The petiole has a black stripe above, and is more or less black at the apex

GG 2

44 . ' HYMENOPTERA.

laterally ; the second segment has a broad black stripe on the apical half, and the third is narrowly black at the apex. The coxe are black at the base; the hind femora are broadly lined with black above; and the hind tibie are obscurely lined with black behind.

C. Metanotum usually striated and with a V-shaped excavation on the apical half. (Species 11-14.)

J 11. Trypoxylon apicipenne. (Tab. IV. fig. 5.)

Nigrum, aureo-hirtum, tegulis, tibiis anticis, medio tarsorum spinisque rufis; metanoto excavato, transverse striolato; alis fusco-hyalinis, apice fumatis. Long. 18 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer).

Antenne microscopically pilose and with joints 2-4 rufous beneath; the third joint one third longer than the fourth. Eyes at the top separated by less than the length of the third antennal joint ; at the bottom by fully the length of the second and third joints united. Head to the ocelli closely punctured ; behind them shining and im- punctate. Vertex raised behind the ocelli and with a.shallow indistinct furrow in the centre. Ocelli almost in a triangle ; a furrow runsdown from.them. Clypeus broadly keeled in the centre, the apex projecting, incised in the middle and with a’slighter incision on either side of the central one. The clypeus, cheeks, and eye-incision densely covered with silvery pubescence. Thorax shining, finely punctured ; the centre of the metanotum transversely striolated. The usual stripes on the thorax densely covered with silvery (slightly inclined to golden) hair. The centre of the metanotum with a broa V-shaped depression. Abdomen comparatively short, not being very much longer than the head and thorax united ; the first segment one third longer than the second, and raised considerably above it at the apex; the segments above on the sides bear a close fulvous pile, and the apical ventral segments longish fuscous hair.

J 12, ‘Trypoxylon cinereo-hirtum, (Tab. IV. figg. 6, 6a.)

Nigrum, cinereo-hirtum; clypeo carinato, aureo-piloso; fronte coriaceo-punctata; metanoto transverse striato; basi abdominis segmento 1° medioque tarsorum posticorum luteis; alis fusco-hyalinis, apice fumatis. 92.

Long. 13 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz, Teapa in Tabasco (Z. H. Smith), Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer); GuaTemaLa, Paraiso 300 feet, Guatemala city (Champion).

Front, face, and clypeus covered densely with golden pile; the front and vertex strongly coriaceously punctured and covered with fuscous hairs; clypeus truncated at the apex, finely and closely punctured; a shallow indistinct furrow on the front. Thorax shining, punctured; the metanotum strongly transversely striated, the base aciculately punctured. The pubescence on the thorax is longish and cinereous; there

TRYPOXYLON. 45

1s a perpendicular silvery stripe down from the tegule, a patch on either side of the postscutellum, and another on the sides of the middle segment. Middle segment with a deep V-shaped depression in the centre, extending to the apex. Pleural suture wide, deep, and oblique. Abdomen shining, covered with silvery and golden pile, which is especially thick on the sides and bases of the segments. Petiole dilated towards the apex, the extreme apex, however, being narrowed ; first segment becoming gradually (but slightly) thickened towards the apex and petioliform, the other segments much thicker than it and together forming an elongated ovoid. - -

13. Trypoxylon fusciventre,

Nigrum, fylvo-hirsutum, tibiis, medio tarsorum abdomineque testaceis aut fuscis; alis hyalinis, nervis rufo- testaceis. 9. ; Long. 13 millim.

Hab. Mxxico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer).

Antenne rufous beneath towards the apex, microscopically pilose; the third joint about one quarter longer than the fourth. Head coarsely rugose, except behind the ocelli, where it is only aciculate. Eyes at the top separated by the length of the second and third antennal joints united, at the bottom by scarcely the. length of the- third. Ocelli in a triangle ; the vertex slightly depressed in the middle behind them; front convex, without a furrow. Clypeus projecting at the apex and with a narrow incision in the middle. Mandibles piceous. Above the antenne and on the clypeus are some scattered longish silvery-white hairs. Thorax shining, above with shallow punctures ; the metanotum transversely striated. ‘There is a band of pale hair on the pronotum, one across the postscutellum, and another on the sides of the metanotum, and the pleure bear scattered hair. There is a shallow V-shaped depression on the centre of the metanotum. Abdomen clavate from the third segment; the petiole clavate at the apex and a little longer than the second segment. The legs are for the greater part piceous; the three middle joints of the hind tarsi are obscure yellow, and the four front tarsi obscure testaceous ; the spurs are dark fuscous.

Iam not sure but the piceous colour of the abdomen and legs may be owing to immaturity, as in one specimen these parts are much darker. |

YW 44. Trypoxylon sonorense, (Tab. IV. fig. 7.) Nigrum, argenteo-fulvum, punctatum ; apice petioli, abdominis segmento 1° basique 2° rufis; alis fere hya- linis, apice fumatis; tegulis testaceis. Long. 13-16 millim. .

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison). Face, front, orbits, and clypeus densely covered with silvery pile; clypeus slightly

convex, not carinate, the apex with a slight incision in the centre. Front and vertex strongly coriaceous, the former with an indistinct furrow in the centre, scarcely

46 . HYMENOPTERA.

depressed. Thorax shining, punctured, but not strongly: the edges of the sutures and the sides of the middle segment densely fringed with silvery pubescence; the other parts with a short pale cinereous pubescence. There is a short broad suture on either side of the mesonotum at the tegule; the pleural suture is oblique and broad; the middle segment has a wide and deep V-shaped depression in the centre. Abdomen shining, covered with a short cinereous pile, especially at the apices of the segments ; petiole thickened and tumid towards the apex, on the top at the apex considerably higher than the first segment ; first segment petioliform, becoming gradually thickened towards the apex; the second segment depressed at the base. Coxe, trochanters, tibiz, and tarsi densely covered with a short pubescence.

The male has the pubescence on the front of the head golden, the mandibles reddish, and the hind tarsi testaceous in the middle. |

The petiole in some specimens is for the greater part red, in others the base only is black above.

D. Metanotum furrowed in the middle; hind trochanters with a stout spine. (Species 15.)

J 15. Trypoxylon spinosum, (Tab. IV. figg. 8, 8a; 84, 3.)

Nigrum, petiolo abdominisque segmento primo rufo-maculatis, medio tarsorum posticorum luteis; facie, clypeo lineaque mesonoti aureo-hirtis; thorace cinereo et argenteo-piloso ; vertice rugoso ; metanoto excavato, transverse striato ; trochanteribus posticis spina longa armatis ; alis fusco-maculatis. ¢ 9.

Long. 12-14 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (forrer).

Head nearly as wide as the thorax; front and vertex convex, not depressed, rugosely punctured ; a shallow furrow uniting the ocelli; eyes at the top separated by a little more than the length of the third antennal joint, margined above the incision, the latter rounded at the end. Clypeus shining, punctured, rather flat, not keeled; a small rounded incision in the centre, the incision itself having a small thick tubercle in its middle. Mandibles reddish at the base; finely rugosely punctured. The golden pubescence is thick and moderately long, and extends from the eye-incision to the apex of the clypeus. There is a moderately sparse fuscous pubescence on the vertex, and behind the eyes there isa longer and thicker silvery pubescence. Antenne thick, black, covered with a cinereous microscopic pile. Prothorax above of equal width, but in the middle with a slope from the base to the apex above, and without any projecting angles laterally. Mesonotum shining, closely and somewhat strongly punctured, the pleure, if anything, more strongly and closely so; the oblique furrow shallow. Metanotum closely transversely striated; a broad V-shaped depression in the centre. The pronotum in front, a line along the base of the mesonotum, and the metanotum (especially at the base and apex) broadly clothed with silvery, inclining to golden, hair ; the rest of the thorax with short fuscous hair. Abdomen alutaceous, from the second

TRYPOXYLON. 47

segment covered with short fulvous pubescence ; the petiole and second segment almost glabrous above, the sides with short cinereous pile. Petiole tuberculate laterally near the base; above with a narrow, shallow furrow, which barely reaches to the middle. The second segment is raised at the base, of nearly equal width throughout (but, if anything, thicker towards the apex), and very little longer than the third segment. The apical segment is broadly keeled in the middle above. Legs densely pruinose; the anterior and intermediate spurs, and the middle of the intermediate and posterior tarsi broadly luteous. The hind coxe are large, obliquely keeled and hollow above, and end laterally in a short blunt tooth ; the spine on the trochanter is rather long, being fully half the length of the basal joint of the trochanter.

E. Metanotum with a curved furrow on either side of the basal half, and usually with one down the centre as well, (Species 16-20.)

V 16. Trypoxylon cornigerum. Nigrum, opacum, punctatum, mandibulis, tibiis tarsisque anticis rufis ; metanoto striolato, bicanaliculato ; alis hyalinis. Long. 11-12 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer).

Antenne covered with pale down, the basal three fourths rufous beneath; the third joint about one fourth longer than the succeeding one. Clypeus thickly, the inner orbits and the eye-incision sparsely, clothed with silvery pubescence ; the rest of the head sparsely pilose. Front and vertex opaque, coarsely aciculate. Eyes at the top separated by a little less than the length of the second and third antennal joints united, below by about the length of the third. Ocelli in a triangle, the posterior two in a depression. Front convex, with an indistinct furrow in the centre. Above the antenne is a broad projection, with a rounded apex. Clypeus sharply projecting at the apex, the apex rounded, smooth, and shining. Mandibles testaceous. Thorax opaque, alutaceous ; the sternum sparsely, the sides of the metanotum thickly, covered with silvery-white hair. Metanotum obliquely striolated; the apex semioblique; a V-shaped furrow in the middle, the portion of the furrow on the apical oblique part being wider than the fork; there is also a shallow indistinct furrow down the centre of the basal part. Abdomen sparsely pilose ; the first segment about one fourth longer than the second.

17. Trypoxylon chichimecum. | Trypoxylon chichimecum, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 83, t. 4. figg. 48, 48 4, c'.

Hab. Mexico !.

This species is stated to occur in elevated districts, in the valley of the city of Muxico }. |

‘A8 HYMENOPTERA.

; J 18. Trypoxylon toltecum.

Trypoxylon toltecum, Saussure, Reise d. Novara, Hymen. p. 83°.

- Hab. Mexico, Orizaba.}, eastern cordillera !.

J 19. Trypoxylon palliditarse. (Tab. IV. fige. 9, 9a, 3. ) (Wee Seuss) = tebancemar Stienh 1910

Nigrum, nitidum, palpis, geniculis farsioqus anterioribus albis; alis fere hyalinis, nervis nigris. * Camenovn, DS. $897 Long. 11 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith, March 1888).

_ Antenne as long as the thorax, thickened towards the apex, the scape obscure testaceous beneath ; the basal joints of the flagellum fuscous; the third joint, if any- thing, shorter than the fourth ; the fifth joint curved beneath; the last joint hollowed and narrowed laterally and as long as the preceding three joints united. Head shining ; the front rugosely punctured, raised broadly in the middle, narrowed to a broad keel immediately before the antenne, and with a broad furrow in the centre. Vertex depressed behind the front ocellus, the latter placed in a hollow. Clypeus projecting at the apex. The eye-incision, face, cheeks, and clypeus densely covered with silvery hair. Eyes at the top separated by more than the length of the first and second antennal joints united. Mandibles reddish at the apical half. ‘Thorax shining, sparsely punctured above ; the pleure and sternum covered with rather long white hair, finely, but distinctly punctured. The pronotum transversely furrowed in the middle above, and there are two shallow furrows on the mesonotum. Metanotum with a wide and deep central furrow and a curved narrower one on either side, these leading into'a wide and deep furrow in the apical part. The metapleure are glabrous and slightly concave. The abdomen is about one half longer than the head and thorax united; shining, pilose beyond the second segment, densely so at the apex, the latter fuscous above and beneath. The spurs are all white; the hind tarsi have the base of the first and the greater part of the second and third joints blackish.

The curved fifth antennal joint and the elongated and hollowed last joint are characteristic of this species.

V 99, Trypoxylon rugifrons.

Nigrum, subopacum, argenteo-pilosum, vertice et fronte rugosis ; thorace punctato, metanoto striato ; spinis et. basi tarsorum anterioribus albis ; mandibulis rufis; tegulis albo-testaceis ; alis hyalinis. ¢. Long. 8 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith, Jan. 1888).

Antenne short, subclavate, densely covered with a microscopic down; the third joint a little longer than the fourth ; the joints not clearly separated. Head opaque; above the antenne finely rugosely punctured ; the front broadly projecting ; the ocelli in pits, a broad and shallow furrow leading down to them; the front immediately above the antenne in the centre projecting into a wedge ; eyes above separated by the length

TRYPOXYLON.—LARRA. 49

of the third and fourth antennal joints united. LEye-incision widening out broadly, so that its mouth is more than twice the width of the base. Clypeus, face, the head behind the eyes, and eye-incisions densely covered with silvery pubescence. Clypeus slightly projecting, the apex rounded. Pro- and mesothorax sparsely and finely punctured; the mesopleure shining, impunctate. Metanotum obscurely obliquely striated, the centre raised into a U-form, but with a hollow in the middle; the middle segment with a sharply oblique slope and furrowed in the centre. The pronotum rises gradually to a point in the centre. The entire thorax is pubescent; the mesonotum in front, the mesopleure at the base and apex, and the metapleure and sides of the metanotum are thickly covered with silvery hair. Abdomen nearly twice the length of the head and thorax united; the segments not tumid at the apex; the second segment about one fourth longer than the third, pruinose ; the apical segments covered with a moderately long pubescence. Legs thickly pruinose; the coxe covered with white hair.

LARRA.

Larra, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. ii. p. 220 (1793); Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1884, p. 65. Larrada, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 273 (1856); Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 885 (partim).

I use here the term Zarra as defined by Kohl (loc. cit.). Zarra and Notogonia are united by Smith, Patton, and others in Larrada; but I agree with Kohl in regarding them as distinct. Jarra, in fact, may be known from Notogonia by the form of the prothorax, the mandibles without an inner tooth, the smooth pygidium (not thickly pilose and ending in bristles), the smooth, shining abdomen, the fore tibize spined on the outer side, and the absence of a process in the third ventral segment ; and, further, by the eyes not converging so much at the top, and the shorter clypeus and legs.

Larra has a wide distribution over the globe.

Y 1. Larra godmani. (Tab. IV. fig. 10,2.)

Nigra, nitida, capite thoraceque punctatis; metathorace opaco, rugoso; abdomine rufo; alis fuliginosis. 9. Long. 16-17 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Orizaba (A. H. Smith & F. D. Godman, Dec. 1887).

Antenne with the scape bare, shining; flagellum opaque, covered with a white microscopic down; the second joint one half the length of the third, the latter about one quarter longer than the fourth. Head shining, microscopically pilose, the cheeks covered with short, white pubescence; punctured distinctly, the punctures clearly separated. Eyes margined at the top, separated by rather more than the length of the third antennal joint. Above the ocelli is a wide semicircular depression ; and there is a wider one, narrowed in the centre, towards the lower ocellus, the latter being rather indistinct and placed in the middle of the depression ; from this depression a narrow,

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II., March 1889. HH

o\t

50 HYMENOPTERA.

but deep, furrow runs from the ocellus to the base of the antenne. The centre of the head is broadly hollowed; and there isa curved and moderately wide furrow on the inner side of the lateral protuberance. Clypeus broadly rounded, almost transverse in the centre, shining; the apex flat, not projecting, and almost impunctate. Labrum broadly projecting and truncated in the middle. Mandibles red, black at the base; the upper side margined and furrowed close to the lower edge; on the lower side is a wider furrow, and placed at a greater distance from the edge than the upper one; closely punctured at the base, and with only a few scattered hairs. Thorax covered with a short, thick, dark pile, closely and rather strongly punctured; the metathorax rugosely punctured, the apex with a sharp oblique slope, and irregularly transversely striolated, and rather thickly covered with moderately long, dark fulvous pubescence. Abdomen narrow, acute at the apex, longer than the thorax, shining ; fulvous, except for a few rather long hairs on the ventral surface at the apex; the pygidial area furrowed along the sides, the furrow not extending to the base, the apical ventral segment also furrowed laterally and punctured. Legs densely pruinose; the coxz punctured and densely covered with white hair.

2. Larra rufitarsis. (Tab. IV. fig. 11,¢.)

Nigra, abdomine tarsisque rufis ; alis fusco-hyalinis. ¢. Long. 11 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (Forrer).

Antenne microscopically pilose; the third joint about one quarter shorter than the fourth. Head strongly punctured; the face and clypeus bearing long whitish hair; eyes at the top separated by the length of the fourth antennal joint. Vertex behind the ocelli depressed, and with a narrow furrow in the centre ; ocellar area raised, also furrowed in the middle, and there is a wider, but less distinct, furrow in the centre of the front. Clypeus broadly projecting, depressed, and rounded at the apex. Mandibles reddish in the middle. Mesothorax shining, strongly punctured. Metathorax opaque, narrowed towards the apex, coriaceous. Abdomen shining, black at the base in the middle; the segments laterally bearing a white silky pile. Legs pruinose ; the spurs reddish. Second cubital cellule hardly one fourth longer than the third, and nearly | one half longer than the space bounded by the recurrent nervures, that being less than the length of the third cubital cellule at the top.

“3, Larra sonorensis. Nigra, punctata; pleuris opacis, rugosis ; abdomine rufo ; alis fere hyalinis. 9. Long. 104 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

Very nearly related to L. rufitarsis, but differing in having the tarsi and spurs black ; the pleuree opaque, coriaceous; the clypeus more projecting and more abruptly sloped

LARRA.—NOTOGONIA. 51

towards the apex; and the wings more clearly hyaline, with the second cubital cellule longer compared with the third. The third antennal joint is less than one quarter shorter than the fourth. The tips of the tarsi are rufous.

NOTOGONIA.

Notogonia, Costa, Ann. Mus. zool. Univ. Napoli, iv. pp. 80, 82 (1868). Larrada, Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 273 (partim). Larra, Patton, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 385.

This genus appears to be much more numerous in species than Larra and has an

equally wide distribution. The species are very difficult of discrimination, and I have

been compelled to leave over for future study many specimens which no doubt represent different species from those here enumerated.

V4, Notogonia violaceipennis. (Tab. IV. fig. 12, 2.)

Nigra, opaca; oculis longitudine antennarum articuli tertii distantibus ; abdomine quam thorax breviore ; alis violaceis. Long. 18 millim.

Hab. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 2000 to 3000 feet (Champion).

Eyes separated at the top by scarcely the length of the third antennal joint. Antenne as long as the thorax, covered with fuscous pile; scape with pedicle as long as the second and third joints united, finely transversely striated; second joint considerably narrowed in the basal half, curved, more than one third of the length of the third joint; the latter dilated at the apex, and a very little longer than the fourth, which again is a little shorter than the fifth. Head above the antenne finely shagreened; face and clypeus closely punctured. Clypeus broadly projecting in the centre; the apex depressed, almost impunctate, and with a row of foveze above the depressed part; the centre with a very slight incision. Mandibles strongly punctured at the base, aciculated at the apex. Palpi black, whitish at the apices of the joints, and covered with whitish hair. Face and clypeus covered with fulvous pile of moderate length and thickness. Thorax opaque, finely coriaceous, the scutellum very slightly, the pro- and metathorax more strongly than the mesothorax. Anterior part of the pronotum broadly raised, and with two elongated fovee on the top; in length fully three fourths as long as the posterior part (counting to the elongated apex), A depression separates the anterior and posterior portions of the pronotum, the whole being not much shorter than the head; the anterior part bears a longish dark fulvous pile, and the posterior part is silvery-sericeous; and the propleura at its point of junction bears a fringe of fulvous hairs. Meso- and metathorax opaque, scarcely pilose, except on the sternum and on the apex of the metanotum. Mesonotum but slightly convex in front, and not depressed in the middle; metanotum with a furrow down its entire

length (except at the top of the apex), the apex oblique (but not sharply), and having HH 2 .

52, _ HYMENOPTERA.

the furrow deeper than on the basal part, as well as a few coarse striations on the edges. The depression on the mesopleure below the wings is wide and deep. Abdomen shining; above with a sparse silvery pubescence at the apices of the segments; beneath with a few, rather long, black hairs. Pygidium coarsely and _ strongly punctured, and bearing a silvery pile and stout fulvous bristles; the apex rounded, beneath shining, covered with large scattered punctures, the base impunctate and almost transverse. Penultimate segment on the lower side sparsely punctured. Legs covered with a dull sericeous pile, pale at the base, fulvous to blackish or fuscous at the apex of the tibie and at the base of the tarsi. "Wings deeply violaceous, of a slightly lighter tint at the apex. Recurrent nervures united; second cubital cellule at the top about three fourths of the length of the third cellule at the top, and less than the distance bounded by the first recurrent and first transverse cubital nervures, the latter sharply angled above the middle, the upper portion being straight.

J 2. Notogonia montezuma.

Nigra, opaca; oculis longitudine antennarum articuli secundi distantibus ; alis fusco-violaceis. Long. 17 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison).

Antenne stout, scarcely the length of the thorax, covered with a close whitish pile ; first joint (with pedicle) nearly as long as the second and third joints united, not much dilated on the lower side; second joint nearly half the length of the third, not much dilated at the apex; third joint, if anything, longer than the fourth. yes at the top separated by less than the length of the third antennal joint. Head opaque; front, face, and clypeus covered with a moderately long pile, the pile silvery on the front and inclining to fulvous or brownish on the clypeus, it being especially long at the sides of the latter. Clypeus broadly rounded, closely and rather strongly punctured ; a broad, not clearly separated, keel down the centre; its apex with a narrow incision. Mandibles strongly striated at the base, aciculated at the middle, and bearing a few longish hairs on the lower side, the median teeth sharply pointed. Thorax bearing a short fuscous pile; finely and very closely punctured, the pleure and metathorax more strongly than the mesothorax. Prothorax covered with a silvery pile; the fore part depressed, not raised at the apex, and sunk well into the head, and situated at a much lower level than the posterior portion. Mesonotum shining above; the pleure and metathorax opaque, much more strongly coriaceous. Furrow on the mesopleure narrow, reaching beyond the middle. Metanotum with a shallow depression in the centre; middle segment deeply channelled, except at the top, where a triangular raised part runs into the channel, and, as well as the metanotum, bearing a close whitish pile. Abdomen sericeous, especially at the apices of the segments. Pygidium closely rugose, covered with a dull pile and with fulvous bristles; the apex truncated ; beneath, as also the penultimate segment, sparsely punctured, the other ventral segments trans-

. NOTOGONIA. | 53

versely aciculated. Legs densely pruinose; the brush on the metatarsus and claws reddish-fulvous. Recurrent nervures very nearly united; the second cubital cellule at the top scarcely half the length of the third at the top, and less than the distance bounded by the first transverse cubital and recurrent nervures, the former curved at the top half. |

Apart from the difference in the form of the prothorax, this is a smaller species than N. violaceipennis. It has the mandibles striolated (not rugose) at the base, and their median teeth sharply pointed (not rounded). The pile on the face is paler; the fovee on the clypeus are absent, or, at any rate, are very indistinct and confused; the furrow on the mesopleure is longer and narrower; the abdomen is more densely sericeous throughout; the pygidium is rounded at the apex; the ventral surface is very distinctly aciculated (which is not the case in WV. violaceipennis) ; and the wings are not violaceous, and have the first transverse cubital nervure curved at the top.

V 3. Notogonia championi.

Nigra ; abdomine quam thorax longiore; alis violaceis, apice fuscis. Long. 17 millim.

Hab. Guatemata, Paraiso 300 feet (Champion).

Antenne longer than the head and thorax united, covered densely with a silky pile, especially towards the base; the first joint a little longer than the second and third joints united, narrowed at the base, which does not project close to the pedicle, the lower side not carinate; second joint scarcely contracted at the base, about one fourth the length of the third, the latter becoming gradually (but slightly) thickened towards the apex, and distinctly thinner and longer than the fourth. Head opaque; the vertex bearing a fuscous, the cheeks, front, and face a silvery, and the clypeus a longer and thicker fulvous, pubescence. Clypeus punctured, rounded, the apex with a narrow incision: the centre at the base keeled. Mandibles with the apical half piceous, the base finely rugose. ‘The depression on the vertex is broader than long, the bottom forming a raised triangle; the furrow leading from the ocellus is narrow; the central depression on the front is deep, and is clearly separated from the furrow leading down to the antenne. The eyes at the top are separated by the length of the third antennal joint. Thorax semiopaque, aciculate; the mesonotum neither depressed at the centre nor at the sides; scutellum shining, impunctate; postscutellum aciculate ; metanotum opaque, alutaceous, the centre slightly depressed, and with a keel down the basal half, the middle segment semioblique, furrowed down the centre. The furrow on the mesopleure extends a little beyond the middle. The prothorax in front, the edges of the tubercles, and the sides of the metanotum and the middle segment bear a short silvery pile; the sternum has a fulvous pubescence. Abdomen elongated, nearly as long as the head and thorax united, narrow, the apex acute, the segments at their point of junction silvery; the pygidium punctured, the apex rounded, the pubescence and

54 HYMENOPTERA.

bristles dull fulvous, the apical two segments punctured. Legs densely pruinose; the metatarsal brush dull fulvous. The second cubital cellule at the top is about two thirds of the length of the third, and less than the distance bounded by the first transverse cubital and first recurrent nervures; the recurrent nervures are separated.

Differs from NV. violaceipennis by the body being narrower, especially the abdomen, the latter also more sericeous, and having the pygidium longer, narrower, and rounded at the apex; the scutellum impunctate, and not furrowed in the centre; the meso- notum not depressed; the antennze somewhat shorter; the clypeus densely covered with a fulvous pubescence and incised at the apex; and, more particularly, by the elongate second joint of the antenne, this joint being nearly half the length of the third.

4. Notogonia truncata. <= ” as Nigra, opaca; oculis in vertice fere dupla longitudine antennarum articuli secundi inter se distantibus; alis

fusco-violaceis. Long. 14 millim.

Hab. Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers).

Antenne about the length of the head and thorax united, the flagellum almost glabrous, the scape sparsely pilose; the first joint, if anything, shorter than the second and third joints united, the lower side bluntly keeled, the base narrowed, the extreme base scarcely projecting; the second joint about one third of the length of the third, and incised at the base on the lower side; the third and fourth joints subequal. Head opaque, the vertex sparsely covered with fuscous pubescence, the cheeks and front with a silvery pile, the clypeus with moderately long fulvous pubescence. The depression on the vertex is longer than broad, deep; the furrow below the ocellus wide, twice as long as broad; frontal depression large, deep; the furrow above the antenne wide, shallow. Clypeus with the extreme apex shining, impunctate, the middle with a small, but distinct, semicircular notch, above this impunctate; edge opaque, coarsely punctured, and bearing on the lower side some elongated fovee; the centre is broadly and indistinctly keeled. Mandibles striated at the base. ‘Thorax opaque, alutaceous, the metanotum finely coriaceous; mesonotum truncated in front, not depressed in the centre nor at the sides. Scutellum shining, obsoletely punctured ; the furrow on the mesopleure scarcely extending to the middle; metanotum with a shallow, not very distinct, furrow in the middle, the apex oblique, and with a narrow, but deep, furrow in the centre, the furrow commencing a little above the middle. ‘The pubescence is fuscous and close; on the apex of the metanotum it inclines to fulvous. Abdomen scarcely twice the length of the metathorax; the segments with a silky pile at their point of junction; the pile on the apical segments fulvous; pygidium short, broad, truncated at the apex, the sides projecting, the top bearing long fuscous bristles, as well as a stiff pubescence; the apical two segments with scattered punctures. Legs

NOTOGONIA. 55

pruinose, golden-fulvous at the apex of the hind tibie and at the‘base of the tarsi ; hind tibiz broadly dilated at the base.

The male, or what I suppose to be such, has the second antennal joint half the length of the third, and curved on the lower side ; the eyes separated at the top by more than the length of the third antennal joint; and the front tooth on the middle of the

mandibles reduced to a mere stump.

V 5. Notogonia argentifrons. Nigra, dense argenteo-pilosa ; oculis fere dupla longitudine antennarum articuli secundi distantibus; alis hyalinis, apice fusco. Long. 16-millim.

Hab. Guaremata, Pantaleon 1700 feet (Champion).

Antenne of moderate stoutness, microscopically pilose ; first joint sharply keeled on the lower side, narrowed towards the base and apex, and as long as the second and third joints united; second joint narrowed at the base, about one fourth of the length ‘of the third, the latter a little longer than the fourth. Head finely and closely, the clypeus much more strongly, punctured; apex of the latter projecting, shining, impunctate, and with a slight notch in the centre, the middle with a flat, broad, indistinctly defined keel. Mandibles at the base longitudinally punctured, and densely covered with a piceous-silvery pile; the other part shining, impunctate, and glabrous. The front, face, cheeks, and clypeus densely covered with silvery pubescence, as are also the lower part of the occiput and the under part of the head. Thorax opaque, very finely punctured; the sides of the apex of the metanotum with a few stout strie. Prothorax almost entirely covered by the head above; the pronotum saddle-shaped. Mesonotum with a shallow, broad furrow in the middle in front. Metanotum with a furrow down its centre, the furrow becoming slightly broader towards the apex; metapleure oblique and broadly depressed in the centre, and finely obliquely striated ; middle segment with a deep furrow down its centre, and having a sharply oblique slope. Abdomen with some bluish tints; the segments at their apices with a silvery pubescence ; the penultimate segment with a golden-fulvous pile. Pygidium apparently longitudinally punctured, densely covered with golden-fulvous or copper-silvery bristle-like hair; the apex truncated, but with a tooth-like projection at either side ; the bristles pale, broad. The ventral surface of the last segment has a distinct curve, and is punctured, as is also the penultimate segment; the other ventral segments are aciculated, fulvous at the apex. Legs pruinose; the brush on the spur and metatarsus deep reddish- fulvous. Recurrent nervures almost united; second cubital cellule at the top one fourth of the length of the third at the top, and about one half the length of the space bounded by the first transverse cubital and recurrent nervures.

This species may be known from NV. montezuma by being smaller and more slenderly built; the head and thorax bearing a thick silvery pubescence; the basal half of the

56 HYMENOPTERA.

mandibles densely covered with a silvery pile; the antenne more slender, their scape longer in proportion to the following two joints, and distinctly keeled beneath; the metathorax striated laterally, and the middle segment also bearing some stout striations ; and the wings much lighter-coloured, not violaceous throughout.

6. Notogonia tinctipennis.

Nigra; oculis dimidia longitudine antennarum articuli 3! distantibus; alis famato-hyalinis, apice late fusco- fumatis.

Long. 13 millim, Hab. Panama, Bugaba 800 to 1500 feet (Champion).

Antenne pruinose, longer than the head and thorax united; the basal joint a little longer than the second and third joints united, carinated beneath, the base contracted on the lower side into a curve, the extreme base not projecting; second joint curved and narrowed at the base beneath, about one third of the length of the third, the latter almost as long as the fourth. Head covered with a silvery pile, which is very dense on the clypeus and cheeks. Eyes at the top separated by one and a half times the length of the second antennal joint. The depression on the vertex oval; the furrow below the ocellus about three times longer than broad; the frontal depression with a keel in the centre. Clypeus rounded, not incised, the apex shining, impunctate. Mandibles at the base finely rugose, the apex piceous. Thorax covered with a sericeous pile, the pile dense on the sternum and middle segment ; pro- and mesothorax aciculate ; metanotum finely coriaceous, furrowed down the basal three fourths, the middle segment oblique, furrowed ; scutellum shining, impunctate. Abdomen a little shorter than the thorax, sericeous. Pygidium coriaceous, the pile and bristles blackish, the apex rounded; the apical two ventral segments punctured. Legs densely pruinose. The second cubital cellule at the top the length of the space bounded by the first transverse cubital and _ first recurrent nervures.

A smaller species than WV. argentifrons. The latter has the clypeus incised, the front not keeled; the middle segment striolated; the wings hyaline; the eyes at the top separated by nearly twice the length of the third antennal joint, &c.

J 7. Notogonia beata. (Tab. IV. fig. 13, 3.)

Nigra, argenteo-pubescens; clypeo facieque longe cinereo-hirtis; area pygidiali truncata, pube cinerea obtecta; oculis in vertice longitudine antennarvm articuli secundi et tertii inter se distantibus; alis violaceo-hyalinis, apice fumatis.

Long. 12 millim.

Hab. Muxico, Orizaba (H. H. Smith & F. D. Godman, Dec. 1887).

Antenne stout, covered with a pale microscopic down; the first joint not much longer than the second and third joints united; the third and fourth joints subequal. Clypeus and cheeks densely covered with a silvery, the front and vertex with a short fuscous, pubescence. Eyes at the top separated by nearly the length of the second and

NOTOGONIA. 57

third antennal joints united. Head opaque, closely punctured; the clypeus at the apex shining, depressed, slightly punctured and rounded, not incised. Thorax opaque, closely punctured, densely covered with a close, short, pale pubescence. Metathorax transversely punctured; the apex irregularly transversely striolated, semiperpendicular. Abdomen short, ovate, sericeous at the junction of the segments; pygidial area broadly truncated at the apex, punctured, and densely covered with silvery-white depressed hairs beneath, shining and impunctate in the middle above, the sides closely punctured and distinctly separated from the central shining part. Legs densely pruinose; the bristles, spines, and calcaria black; the claws reddish at the apex. Wings fusco- hyaline, the apex of a much deeper smoky tint; the second cubital cellule at the top not half the length of the third at the top; the recurrent nervures separated by nearly the length of the top of the second cubital cellule; appendicular cellule completely traced.

8. Notogonia chrysura. (Tab. IV. fig. 14,3.) = an genticacda

Nigra, argenteo-pilosa; oculis in vertice longitudine antennarum articuli tertii inter se distantibus; area pygidiali pube aurea obtecta; alis fere hyalinis, apice fumatis. Long. 12°5 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (Forrer).

Antenne microscopically pilose, the first joint longer than the second and third joints united, hollowed externally above, dilated towards the middle ; the second joint about one half the length of the third, the latter almost as long as the fourth. Head opaque, finely coriaceous; the clypeus finely punctured; the vertex sparsely clothed with cinereous hair, the clypeus, cheeks, and sides of the front densely covered with cinereous pubes- cence; the depression on the vertex round, deep, shining in the centre; the furrow below the ocellus dilated towards the apex ; the central depression on the front elongated, deep, the furrow leading to the antenne indistinct. Clypeus with a narrow keel in the centre, the apex rounded. Eyes above separated by almost the length of the third antennal joint. Thorax finely rugose; the metathorax finely coriaceous, widely fur- rowed down the centre of the metanotum, the apex irregularly transversely striolated, its furrow deep; scutellum punctured, obscurely furrowed down the middle; meso- pleural furrow narrow, almost complete. Mesonotum broadly, but not deeply, fur- rowed in the middle; there is a shallow depression on the side at the’ tegula, and there is a short deep furrow in front of this depression. Abdomen shorter and narrower than the thorax, the segments at their junction sericeous, the apical one fulvous; — pygidium broad, short, densely covered with fulvous-golden bristles and hair; the ultimate and penultimate ventral segments shining, the latter with a thick tuft of bristle-like hair on either side, there being a similar tuft, but shorter, on the preceding segment. Legs slightly pruinose, the metatarsal brush and the tarsal and tibial spines fulvous. | |

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II., March 1889. II

J 58 HYMENOPTERA.

9. Notogonia argenticauda. (Tab. IV. fig. 15, 3.)

Nigra, facie apiceque metanoti longe argenteo-pilosis ; area pygidiali pube argentea obtecta ; oculis in vertice longitudine antennarum articulorum secundi et tertii inter se distantibus; alis fere hyalinis. Long. fere 13 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz (H. FH. Smith).

Antenne stout, as long as the thorax; the joints gradually dilated towards the middle; the first joint longer than the second and third joints united ; the second joint about three fourths of the length of the third, the latter shorter than the fourth. Head semi-shining, strongly aciculate, the clypeus and face covered with short silvery hair. Eyes at the top separated by the length of the second and third antennal joints united. Clypeus broadly projecting in the middle and rounded at the apex, scarcely keeled in the centre. Mandibles without teeth on the inner side. Thorax closely covered with down, which varies in colour from silvery to fulvous; alutaceous, the metathorax much more coarsely so; the apex of the latter hardly punctured, densely clothed with hair laterally, and deeply furrowed in the centre.. Abdomen elongate- ovate, densely and broadly sericeous at the junction of the segments, but not in the centre. Pygidial area bluntly truncated at the apex, covered with silvery hair; beneath shining, slightly punctured. The ventral surface bears a rufous down, and on the apex of the second segment is a tuft of long rufous hair. Legs pruinose, the spines and spurs black. Wings smoky-hyaline, from the base of. the radial cellule fuscous; the second and third cubital cellules at the top subequal; the recurrent nervures separated by the length of the second cubital cellule at the top; appendicular cellule complete.

V 10. Notogonia apicipennis. (Tab. IV. figg. 16,9; 164,32.) Nigra; area pygidiali pube cinerea obtecta; oculis in vertice longitudine antennarum articuli tertii inter se distantibus ; alis flavis, apice fere fumatis. Long. (3) 10 millim.; (2) 12-13 millim.

Hab. Panama (Boucard).

Antenne as long as the head and thorax united, rather densely microscopically pilose; first joint distinctly longer than the second and third joints united, not carinate beneath ; second joint becoming gradually, but slightly, thickened towards the apex and fully half the length of the third, the latter equal in length to the fourth. Head minutely punctured; clypeus broadly rounded at the apex, scarcely projecting. Man- dibles densely pilose at the base, the middle piceous, glabrous, impunctate. Front, face, cheeks, and clypeus (except at the apex) densely covered with a close fulvous, mixed with silvery, pubescence. Eyes separated at the top by the length of the third antennal joint. Thorax opaque, minutely rugose ; a thick edging of fulvous hair along the sides of the meso- and metanotum, and on the greater part of the apex of the latter; meta- notum finely rugose, scarcely furrowed in the centre, the middle segment semiperpen- dicular and deeply, but not widely, furrowed in the centre. Abdomen narrower than,

NOTOGONIA.—TACHYTES. 59

and nearly as long as, the thorax, the apex acuminate, the segments broadly pilose at their apices. Pygidium elongated, the apex rounded, densely covered (except upon an elongated cone-shaped space at the base) with a fulvous pile, impunctate; beneath, and the penultimate segment also, with scattered punctures. Legs pruinose, the hair on * the spur and metatarsus reddish-fulvous.

Nou. Notogonia panamensis., (Tab. IV. fig. 17, 3.)

Nigra, cinereo-pubescens; facie apiceque metanoti argenteo-pilosis; area pygidiali pube fulva obtecta; oculis in vertice fere longitudine antennarum articuli tertii inter se distantibus; alis flavo-hyalinis, apice fere fumatis.

Long. 10 millim.

Hab. Pawama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui 2500 to 4000 feet (Champion).

Antenne almost bare; the basal joint somewhat longer than the second and third joints united; the second joint one third the length of the third, the latter, if any- thing, longer than the fourth. Vertex and front but very slightly pilose; the face and clypeus covered with golden or silvery hair. Eyes at the top separated by the length of the third antennal joint. Front moderately depressed; an indistinct furrow above and a very distinct and broad one below the ocellus, and there is a longish furrow which commences a little below the latter and reaches to the antenne. Clypeus rounded at the apex, shining and impunctate there, and with a small incision in the middle. Mandibles rufous towards the centre, the central furrow deep. Thorax opaque, alutaceous, sparsely covered with a short pale pile, the pile more distinct on the meta- thorax, especially on either side of the metanotum, where it assumes a fulvous hue. Mesonotum slightly depressed in front; metanotum finely coriaceous, narrowly furrowed down the middle, the apex oblique ‘and with the furrow wider and deeper. Abdomen, if anything, longer than the thorax, elongate, narrowed gradually towards the apex, the latter bearing a silvery or fulvous pile, opaque, almost alutaceous. Pygidial area with the bristles dark fulvous and intersected with silvery hairs; the apical bristles stout, dull fulvous. Beneath and at the base the apical segment is sparsely punctured ; the penultimate ventral segment is also sparsely punctured, and the middle segments bear a silvery soft pubescence. Legs pruinose; the spines and spurs black, the meta- tarsal brush fulvous. Third cubital cellule hardly extending beyond the apex of the radial cellule; the second cellule at the top is as wide there as the third; the recurrent nervures are united.

TACHYTES.

Tachytes, Panzer, Krit. Revis. ii. p. 129 (1806); Kohl, Verz. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1884, p. 101. Lyrops, Uliger, in Ross. Faun. Etrusc. 2nd edit. ii. p. 161 (1807). Tachyptera, Dahlbom, Hymen. Eur. i. p. 183.

Tachytes is readily known from Larra and Notogonia by the head being flat along W 2

60 - HYMENOPTER }.

the inner side of the eyes, and not raised into more or less blunt ridges. The meta- thorax is usually shorter, or, at least, hardly longer, than the mesothorax, and rounded at the apex; the body is hairy and bee-like; and the apex. of the radial cellule is rounded. Nearly 150 species of Tachytes (and Tachysphex) have been described from all the zoological regions; and sixteen are known from North, and twenty-four from South America.

/ 1. Tachytes yucatanensis. (Tab. IV. fig. 18, 2.) Ag a ows Niger; tibiis tarsisque ferrugineis; alis fulvo-fumatis. 9. . Long. 17-18 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer).

Antenne sparsely microscopically pilose, the scape bearing long white hairs; the third joint about one quarter longer than the fourth. Head below the ocelli covered thickly with rather long fulvous hair, the front, vertex, and occiput more sparsely with fuscous, intermixed with pale, hair. Eyes at the top separated by about the length of the second and third antennal joints united; ocelli surrounded by a distinct margin and by a furrow on the outer side of the latter. Vertex and front opaque, closely punc- tured. Clypeus closely punctured; the apex broadly rounded, slightly projecting. Mandibles at the base reddish and closely covered with short fulvous hair ; palpi rufous. Thorax opaque, closely and rather strongly punctured; the pronotum above and the pleuree and sternum bearing pale golden hair, the sides of the mesonotum thickly covered with fulvous hair; the rest of the mesonotum and metanotum with long pale fuscous hair. There is an elongated fovea in the centre of the metanotum at the apex. Abdomen as long as, or a little longer than, the thorax, shining, aciculate ; the sides of the basal three segments bearing a silvery pile. Pygidial area with a distinct lateral margin, rather sharply rounded at the apex, and covered thickly with deep coppery- golden pile; apical ventral segment at the apex bearing some large coarse punctures and some long hairs; the penultimate segment also punctured at the apex and bearing some long rufous hairs ; the ventral segments pale at the apices. Legs bearing a golden or silvery pile, the spines and spurs rufous; the tarsal spines paler than the tibie; the hind tibiee broadly blackish in the middle; the claws blackish. The second cubital cellule at the top is a little shorter than the third, and somewhat longer than the space bounded by the two recurrent nervures.

7

Vv 2. Tachytes guatemalensis. (Tab. IV. fig. 19.) - ovr? | Niger, fusco-hirtus ; alis fere hyalinis, antice fulvo-fumatis. 9°. Long. 16 millim.

Hab. Guatemata, Mirandilla 1700 feet (Champion).

Antenne not much longer than the pro- and mesothorax united, thick, the flagellum

TACHYTES., 61

microscopically pilose, the first joint sparsely covered with long fulvous hair; first joint considerably narrowed at the base, as long as the second and third joints united; second joint a little more than one third the length of the third, and half the length of the fourth. Head opaque, minutely punctured, the cheeks and clypeus covered with long fulvous-golden hair, the rest of the head more sparsely clothed with pale fulvous hair. Clypeus distinctly punctured, the apex entire, broadly rounded. Base of the mandibles apparently striated, densely covered with obscure golden pile; the middle bears some rather long reddish hair and a few large punctures; the apex piceous-red. ‘Thorax opaque, minutely punctured, the punctures distinctly separated, covered with a fulvous pubescence, which is especially long on the sternum. Metanotum with a gradual rounded slope, impunctate (or the punctures only visible under a high power), an elongated fovea at the apex in the middle; the apex keeled down the centre, rounded, oblique. Abdomen as long as the thorax, strongly aciculated; the basal ventral seg- ments aciculated, almost impunctate in the middle, the penultimate and the apical half of the last punctured, the latter strongly. Pygidial area roughly longitudinally striated, and covered with fiery-red bristly pubescence; the apex sharply rounded, the keels raised, especially towards the apex.

V 3, Tachytes andreniformis. (Tab. IV. fig. 20.) Niger, fulvo-hirtus, abdominis segmentis cinereo-pilosis; alis fere hyalinis. Long. 13 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith, Jan. 1888).

Antenne filiform, longer than the head and thorax united, sparsely microscopically pilose ; the basal joint covered with long fulvous hair, scarcely so long as the second and third joints united; the second joint scarcely half the length of the third, the latter a little longer than the fourth. Face, clypeus (except at the apex), and cheeks bearing long fulvous hair, the hair hiding the surface; the vertex more sparsely clothed with long fulvous hair, opaque, closely punctured. yes distinctly converging at the top, where they are separated by a little more than the length of the third antennal joint. There is a triangular depression above the ocelli, and the latter are situated on an elevation; an indistinct furrow runs down from them. Apex of the clypeus projecting in the middle, the projection rounded and with a slight waved incision on either side of it. Mandibles closely rugosely punctured at the base, reddish towards the middle. Thorax opaque, the scutellum distinctly punctured, covered with long fuscous hair and more densely along the sides of the mesonotum with fulvous hair; on the pleure the hair is sparser. Abdomen sparsely covered with fuscous hair, the segments bearing a fringe of cinereous hair, which is almost interrupted in the centre. The ventral seg- ments bear at their junction a few long fulvous hairs. Pygidial area broad, the apex broadly rounded and whitish ; the surface with black, mixed with rufous, hairs. Apical ventral segment punctured. Coxe, trochanters, and femora covered with fuscous, the

62 HYMENOPTERA.

anterior femora with fulvous, hair; tibiee densely pruinose, the spines and spurs rufous ; tarsi with the spines pale rufous. 4, Tachytes argentipes. mae Gut pee eg gees

Niger ; facie, clypeo thoraceque dense fulvo-argenteo-pilosis ; pedibus argenteo-pilosis ; alis hyalinis. Long. 18 millim.

Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion).

Antennal scape covered with long pale fulvous hair; the flagellum almost glabrous, but pruinose under a strong lens; the third joint not much longer than the fourth. Head opaque, alutaceous; the clypeus, face, cheeks, and front covered densely with fulvous hair, which has a slight silvery, or even golden, tinge; the vertex and upper part of the front much more sparsely covered with long black or fulvous-black hair. Vertex depressed in the centre, the depression broadest at the apex; there is a wide furrow above the ocellus. The eyes at the top are separated at the narrowest part by a little more than the length of the second and third antennal joints united. Clypeus rounded, margined at the apex. Mandibles bearing long golden-fulvous hairs on the basal half, the apical half reddish, with a black stripe down the middle. Thorax alutaceous, the mesonotum finely punctured; the sternum, the lower and front part of the pleure, and the metapleure densely covered with fulvous hair; the pronotum sparsely covered with long pale hair; the mesonotum and middle segment with fuscous hair. Abdomen nearly as long as the head and thorax united, and almost narrower at its widest part than the latter, becoming gradually narrowed from the base of the second segment. The petiole bears long fuscous hair; the sides of the second and following segments, and the three apical segments above, densely covered with moderately long fulvous hair. Pygidial area densely covered with black (having in certain lights a fulvous tinge) bristle-like depressed stiff pile, and with a few long black hairs; the apex rounded, without hair or bristles; beneath, the central part is impunctate, laterally bearing scattered punctures. ‘The other ventral segments have also scattered punctures and are pale at the apex. Legs closely covered with silvery pile, the pile especially bright and thick on the outer side of the tibie; the spurs and tarsal spines are bright fulvous; behind, the hind tibie bear three rows of thick spines, but only the hinder row is

complete; there are only two incomplete rows of spines on the middle pair, and in front there are a few long flexible fulvous spines.

5. Tachytes ornatipes, (Tab. IV. fig. 21.)

Niger; mandibulis tarsisque rufis; facie metapleurisque longe argenteo-pilosis; area pygidiali pube aurea obtecta; alis clare hyalinis. . Long. 10 millim.

Hab. GuaTeMALA, Paso Antonio 400 feet (Champion).

Antenne stout, microscopically pilose ; the first joint with a rather long fringe of

TACHYTES. 63

silvery hair on the lower side, the sides also with a silvery pile, the top almost glabrous ; first joint a little longer than the second and third joints united, the second half the length of the third. Head large, and wider than the thorax, finely and closely punc- tured, opaque; the front, cheeks, face, and clypeus, and behind the lower part of the eyes, covered with a close, moderately long, silvery pubescence; the vertex covered with long fuscous hair. Clypeus transverse; mandibles reddish, shining, impunctate, the extreme base covered with silvery pubescence, the other part with a few scattered hairs. Hyes large, converging at the top, where they are separated by about the length of the third antennal joint. Above, and touching the lower ocellus, is a shining impunctate circle, and from the ocellus runs a shallow shining furrow. Thorax opaque, minutely and closely punctured; the pronotum, the sides and the middle segment of the meta- notum covered with rather long silvery hair; the rest of the thorax with a dull silvery pile. Metanotum with a distinct furrow, which ends in a pear-shaped hollow, the middle segment with a wider furrow. Abdomen aciculated, the segments with a broad band of silvery hair at their apices, the other parts of them with a shorter pile. Pygi- dium covered with a dense golden-fulvous stiff pile and with a few longish hairs; the apex rounded. ‘The ventral segments are pale at the edges, where there is a fringe of fulvous pile, aciculated, and with some scattered punctures; the extreme apex bears rather long fulvous hair. Legs covered with a short dense silvery pile ; the tibial spines are pale, the hair-fringe on the spurs and metatarsus fulvous, the spurs being pale fulvous.

6. Tachytes ferrugineipes. (Tab. IV. fig. 22, 3.) (reece

Niger ; pedibus rufis; capite thoraceque longe fulvo-pilosis; alis hyalinis, basi fere flavo-hyalinis. ¢. Long. 13 millim.

Hab. Panama (Boucard).

Antenne shorter than the thorax; the scape covered with long pale fulvous hair; the flagellum with a microscopic pile; the third joint nearly one quarter longer than the fourth. Head from below the ocellus densely covered with long fulvous hair, the hair hiding the surface completely ; the vertex alutaceous, opaque, densely covered with fuscous hair, and depressed in the centre. yes at the top separated by a little more than the length of the third antennal joint. Apex of the clypeus rather sharply rounded, slightly projecting. Basal half of the mandibles ferruginous. Thorax covered all over with rather long fulvous hair, but more sparsely so on the mesonotum, the latter alutaceous and minutely punctured. Tegule reddish. Abdomen elongate, covered with a short, dense, pale pile; the segments at the apex fringed broadly with pale fulvous hair. Legs covered with a pale pile; the anterior and intermediate femora are black to near the apex, the posterior pair broadly so at the base.

64 HYMENOPTERA.

TACHYSPHEX. Tachysphex, Kohl, Deutsche ent. Zeitschr. xxvii. p. 166 ;. Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1884, p. 347.

This genus is separated from Tachytes, auct., by Kohl, and seems to represent a well- defined group. Tachysphex is distinguished from Tachytes by the naked pygidial area, the metatarsal brush of the fore tibie formed of very long flexible bristles, and the form of the body not quite so bee-like. It contains numerous species, and is found in most of the warm and temperate regions of the globe.

V 1. Tachysphex psilocerus, Tachysphex psilocerus, Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1883, p. 374°.

Hab. Muxico, Chapultepec (Bilimek 1).

é

VA 2. Tachysphex rufo-maculatus. (Tab. IV. fig. 23, 2 .)

Niger, fulvo et cinereo-pilosus; femoribus (basi nigra), tibiis, tarsis abdominisque segmentis 2° et 3° rufis; alis hyalinis. Long. 113 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schumann).

Antenne sparsely microscopically pilose, the scape covered with pale hair, the third and fourth joints subequal. Head opaque, alutaceous; the front and vertex covered with fuscous hair, the cheeks, face, and clypeus with fulvous, mixed with silvery, hair. Eyes at the top separated by nearly the length of the second and third antennal joints united. Ocellar area raised, furrowed down the centre. Apex of the clypeus projecting in the middle, shining, marked with punctures. Mesothorax shining, rather strongly punctured; the metathorax opaque, coarsely aciculate. The pleure are covered with rather long pale silvery hair; the pronotum and the sides of the mesonotum with pale fulvous, and the rest of the thorax with fuscous, hair. The fovea at the apex of the metanotum is pear-shaped. Abdomen somewhat shorter than the thorax, shining, hardly punctured, and bearing a silvery pile; black, the base and apex of the petiole, the greater part of the second and third segments, and the apical half of the other segments, rufous. Pygidial area broad, bare, coarsely punctured, the apex red and broadly rounded. Legs bearing a silvery pubescence, the spines clear white, the spurs pale red. Wings:—the costa and stigma are obscure testaceous, the nervures at the base are fuscous, at the apex blackish; the second and third cubital cellules at the top are subequal and a little longer than the space enclosed by the recurrent nervures; the latter are received in front of the middle of the cellule, and the other nervures are irregular.

ASTATA, 65

ASTATA.

Astatus, Latreille, Précis des caract. gén. des Ins. p- 114 (1796). Astata, Latreille, Hist. Nat. des Crust. et des Ins. xiii. p. 297 (1805).

Of this genus upwards of forty species are known, from all the zoological regions.

a. Abdomen black. Vy. Astata albovillosa. (Tab. V. fig. 3, 2.)

Nigra, longe albo-hirta, punctata ; segmento mediali striolato ; alis fusco-violaceis, nervis nigris. °. Long. 16-17 millim.

Hab. Guatemaa, San Gerénimo (Champion).

Basal joint of the antenne strongly punctured, covered with long greyish hairs ; the third joint one and three quarter times longer than the fourth, slightly curved, and gradually thickened towards the apex. Head shining, covered with long greyish hair, in front rounded, bulging out in the middle, closely covered with shallow punctures, which are much fewer in number on the vertex. Clypeus with the apex in the middle almost transverse, slightly projecting. Mandibles (especially on the basal half) bearing large punctures, and with rather long brownish hairs. Eyes at the top separated by about the length of the fourth and fifth antennal joints united. Thorax shining, punc- tured, but not strongly, the basal half of the scutellum almost entirely impunctate, the median segment longitudinally striolated; the hair on the top is fuscous, on the pleure and sternum it is longer and cinereous. Median segment with a gradual slope; the scutellum with a furrow in the centre. Abdemen nearly as long as the meso- and metathorax united, shining, with some punctures; the base, the sides, and ventral surface sparsely covered with pale hairs; the penultimate dorsal segment is pale at the apex, and bears there a fringe of fuscous hair. Pygidial area a little longer than the width of the base, glabrous, rugosely punctured; the sides raised and spinose-haired throughout; the apex rounded, reddish. Penultimate segment incised at the apex and depressed in the middle. Coxz and trochanters thickly, and the femora more sparsely, covered with long grey hair, the tibie and tarsi thickly spinose; the spines on the hind tarsi and the claws more or less rufous. Radial cellule a little shorter than the second and third cubital cellules united, its apical nervure curved; the first cubital nervure is shorter than the second, which is more than twice the length of the third ; the second cubital nervure at the top is one fourth shorter than the space bounded by the recurrent nervures.

of 2. Astata strigosa. Astatus strigosus, Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xxxviii. p. 147°.

Hab, Mexico, Orizaba (Bilimek1); Costa Rica, Cache (Rogers).

As I am not quite sure about the identity of the Costa-Rican specimen with Kohl’s species, I give a description of it :— - BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. I1., March 1890. KK

MW. Ba

66 HYMENOPTERA.

Antenne thick, sparsely haired, the third joint more than one half longer than the fourth. Head shining, punctured, the punctures clearly separated ; the face and cheeks sparsely covered with long white hair. Clypeus truncated at the apex, projecting. Mandibles indistinctly punctured, an obtuse short thick tooth below the apex, covered with long hair, the hair inclining to fulvous on the lower side. Thorax shining, above almost glabrous; the sides and sternum covered with long white woolly hair; pronotum closely transversely punctured; mesonotum obscurely pitted with indistinct, widely separated punctures; scuteilum almost impunctate; mesopleure (especially in front) distinctly punctured ; median segment longitudinally striolated (but with the striole diverging towards the apex); the pleure obliquely, the oblique apex rugosely, punc- tured, and with a pear-shaped, shining, impunctate depression in the centre, the apex sparsely haired. Abdomen shining, impunctate, glabrous; pygidium opaque, finely and closely granulate-punctate; the sides distinctly keeled, the keels raised above the central portion, which is very slightly convex; the extreme apex rufous. Legs shining, the coxee, trochanters, and femora covered with long white woolly hair; the tibize sparsely and stoutly spined, pruinose on the outer side; the tarsi inclining to piceous. Wings deep violaceous; the first recurrent nervure received a little beyond the middle of the cellule; second cubital cellule considerably narrowed at the top, which is not much more than half the distance bounded by the second recurrent and the second transverse cubital cellule ; nervures deep black.

Length 11-12 millim.

The colour of the body is a very deep black, inclining to plumbeous. At the top, the eyes are separated by a little more than the length of the third antennal joint. The pronotum has the part next the head rising obliquely but not abruptly, and thence rises gradually to the apex, being but slightly convex in the centre; the apex is raised, distinctly separated by the hollow thus formed from the mesonotum, there being also a distinct margin on it in front of the latter.

Besides being considerably smaller, A. strigosa differs from A. albovillosa in the hair being sparser; the depression at the base of the clypeus deeper ; the head not projecting so much in the centre in front and less punctured; the mesonotum scarcely punctured ; the scutellum not furrowed in the middle; the pygidial area longer, being fully one and a half times the width of the base in length; the apex of the dorsal penultimate segment without a distinct fringe of hairs; the penultimate ventral segment not incised, &c.

/ 3. Astata apicipennis. (Tab. V. fig. 1.)

Nigra; capite punctato, pleuris segmento medianeque rugoso-reticulatis, dense fusco-pilosis; alis hyalinis, apice fumatis, nervis pallidis. Long. 12 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (orrer).

ASTATA., ‘67

Antenne as long as the thorax; the base sparsely pilose; the third joint curved, longer than the fourth. Head shining, somewhat strongly punctured; the face and front bearing rather long pale fuscous hair; the vertex sparsely and microscopically pilose. Mandibles with some large irregular punctures towards the apex, and hollowed in the centre there, and, except at the extreme tip, reddish. Clypeus rounded, the apex margined; the centre slightly incised; the base depressed ; the sides semiopaque, closely punctured ; the central part shining, sparsely covered with large punctures. Prothorax closely punctured; mesonotum shining, the sides punctured, the centre almost impunctate. Scutellum strongly punctured round the edges, the centre only sparsely punctate. Mesopleure rugosely reticulated; sternum strongly punctured ; metapleure obliquely striolated ; median segment rugosely reticulated, the apex rugose. Abdomen shining, almost impunctate. Pygidial area opaque, finely rugose, almost glabrous, margined at the sides ; a few stout bristles issue from the edges near the apex. Femora bearing black hair, the tibie and tarsi stiffly spinose; the apices of the tarsi_ (especially of the anterior pair) reddish. Radial cellule scarcely so long as the second and third cubital cellules united; the radial nervure at its apex turned sharply back- wards towards the stigma; the second cubital cellule one half longer than the third, and scarcely so long as the first at the bottom, at the top shorter than the space bounded by the recurrent nervures. Tegule brownish.

V 4, Astata tinctipennis.

Nigra, longe albo-hirta; capite (vertice excepto) punctato; pleuris rugoso-punctatis; segmento mediali reticulato ; mesonoto cum scutello nitidis, levis; alis hyalinis, apice fusco-tinctis. 9. Long. 9 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (Forrer).

_ Antenne as long as the thorax, bearing a microscopic down ; the third joint nearly one fourth longer than the following one. Face, front, cheeks, and occiput bearing long cinereous hair, and strongly punctured to the ocelli; the vertex behind them being shining, and with only a few scattered punctures. Clypeus rounded, the apex projecting, only slightly shining in the middle, the sides more opaque, and closely punctured. Mesonotum and scutellum shining, punctured, the former posteriorly and the scutellum but sparsely so. Pleure and sternum rugosely punctured; median segment reticulated, the apex with an oblique slope, rugose. Except on the scutellum and mesonotum, the thorax is covered with moderately long white hair. Abdomen not much longer than the mesothorax, shining, impunctate. Pygidial area closely punctured; the sides raised and bearing throughout a fringe of stout bristles; the centre is for the greater part reddish. Femora sparsely haired ; tibiz and tarsi thickly spinose. Radial cellule shorter than the second and third cubital cellules united, the apex bent sharply backwards; the third cubital cellule at the bottom is as long as the space bounded by the first recurrent nervure and the second transverse cubital nervure ; KK 2

68: HYMENOPTERA.

the second cubital cellule at the top is half the length of the space bounded by the recurrent nervures. | . Not unlike A. apicipennis, but smaller, and easily known from it by the thorax and head being densely clothed with long hair; the much more strongly rugose pleure and median segment ; the shorter abdomen ; and the pygidial area much more clearly raised at the edges, and furrowed on the inner side of them, the edges, moreover, being spinose throughout. The first cubital cellule is clearly longer than the second.

b. Abdomen red. JJ 5. Astata kohli. (Tab. V. fig. 2, head from in front; 2:a@, antenna.)

Nigra, nitida, segmento medial? opaco; abdomine rufo; alis fumatis, basi fere hyalinis. 2. Long. fere 8 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Ventanas in Durango 2000 feet (Forrer).

Head almost transverse, distinctly broader than the thorax, rather strongly, but sparsely, punctured on the top; the face and vertex closely and rugosely punctured, almost opaque; clypeus shining, sparsely punctured. yes slightly converging towards the top; ocelli in a triangle. Clypeus projecting in the middle, and with three short, stout teeth there, broadly and roundly carinate down the centre. Mandibles broadly red before the apex. Antenne stout; the third joint one fourth longer than the succeeding. Pro- and mesonotum shining, covered with large scattered punctures, the mesonotum with two indistinct fine furrows in the centre towards the apex, the space bounded by these being depressed ;. pleure rugose, opaque; sternum shining, sparsely punctered. Median segment opaque,. finely rugose, the apex oblique and coarsely transversely rugose. Abdomen a little shorter than the thorax, shining, sparsely haired. Pygidial area shining, finely aciculate, indistinctly margined laterally, the apex rounded. Appendicular cellule longer than the radial, which is not much longer than the second and. third cubital cellules united; the second cubital cellule at the top and bottom is wider than the third, and at the top is narrower than the space bounded by the recurrent nervures, which are received near the apical and basal fourth of the cellule; the second transverse cubital nervure is straight, the first is slightly bent, the third is broadly curved outwardly. Legs: the cox and femora bearing black hair; the tibiee and tarsi moderately spinose..

~\6. Astata picta. Astatus pictus, Kohl, Verh.. zool.-bot.. Ges. Wien,, xxxviii. p. 146°. Hab. Muxtco (Bilimek 3).

_ Alhed to A. kohli, bat easily known from it by the clypeus only projecting (not toothed) in the middle.

ASTATA. | 69

7. Astata mexicana. | Astata mexicana, Cresson, Proc. Ent. section Ac. Phil. in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. ix. p. v'.

Hab. Mexico (Sumichrast 1).

J 8. Astata alpestris. (Tab. V. figg. 4; 4a, head from in front; 44, antenna.)

Nigra, abdomine rufo; sparse punctata, longe albo-villosa; segmento mediali striolato; alis hyalinis, apice fumatis. 9°. Long. 84 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 8000 feet (H. H. Smith).

Antenne stout, densely covered with a close white microscopic pile, the third joint not much longer than the fourth. Head broad, sharply retreating behind the eyes; the face and oral region covered with long pale hair, the occiput and vertex with more scattered and shorter hair; the face and front closely and rather strongly punctured, the vertex more sparsely, the punctures on the latter being much more widely separated, and almost absent behind the ocelli. Eyes very slightly converging on the top; ocelli hardly forming a triangle, the anterior ocellus in a pit, the posterior ocelli separated from each other by a greater distance than they are from the eyes. Clypeus rounded in the middle at the apex. Mandibles piceous at the apex. The sides of the pronotum coarsely rugose; mesonotum very shining, sparsely and finely punctured, the pleura strongly punctured; scutellum with very few punctures. Median segment striolated, the striole running into reticulations; the apex with an oblique slope, transversely rugosely punctured; metapleure obliquely striolated. The sides of the thorax bear long white hairs. Abdomen black at the extreme base, finely aciculate. Legs stout; the tibize (especially the two hinder pairs) strongly and stoutly spinose; the tarsi also strongly spinose, rufous towards the apex. Radial cellule short, the appendicular cellule nearly as long as it, and oblique at the apex; the second cubital cellule very narrow at the top, not half the length of the space bounded by the recurrent nervures, the latter being almost the length of the third cubital cellule above.

[Kohl (Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xxxiv. p. 447) gives A. cewrulea, Cresson, as from Mexico, no other locality being given; but Cresson himself (Proc. Ent. section Ac. Phil. in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. ix. p, iv) gives Nevada-as the habitat. ]

Fam. NYSSONIDA.

I use this term merely for convenience, and not that I consider the group of Mysson and its allies to form a family of equal taxonomic value with, say, the Pompilide or Mutillide. |

As the admirable Monograph of Handlirsch (Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, 1887 e¢ seg.) is indispensable to every student of these insects, I have followed his arrangement of the genera.

70 HYMENOPTERA.

BOTHYNOSTETHUS.

Bothynostethus, Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xxxiil. p. 344 (1884), & xxxiv. p. 449; Handlirsch, Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcevi. p. 221.

A distinct genus not closely related to any other yet described. ‘Two species are known. |

JJ 1. Bothynostethus saussurei.

Bothynostethus saussurei, Kohl, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, XXXill. p. 346, t. 18. figg. 5,6°; Hand. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvi. p. 224, t. 1. figg. 1, 2.

Hab. Mexico, Huastec!.

ALYSON.

Alyson, Jurine, Nouv. méthode de class. les Hymén. p. 195 (1807); Handlirsch, Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvi. p. 235.

A well-known genus of small extent, but of wide range.

Vy. Alyson melleus.

Alyson melleus, Say, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. i. p. 380+; Complete Writings, i. p. 762; Packard, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. vi. p. 4227; Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvi. p. 253°; Cresson, Trans, Am. Ent. Soc. 1887, Suppl. p. 280.

Hab. Norta America! ?%, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia, Texas.— Nortu- west Mexico ®. _ NYSSON. Nysson, Latreille, Hist. Nat. des Crust. et des Ins. iii. p. 340 (1802); Handlirsch, Sitz. der k.

Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcv. p. 281 (1887).

Paranysson, Guérin, in Cuvier’s Icon. Régn. Anim. p. 441; Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. ix. p. 273.

Acanthostethus, Smith, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1869, p. 306.

Hyponysson, Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. ix. p. 273.

This genus is cosmopolitan, and found in all parts of the world. Nearly seventy species are known, of these twenty-one are from North America or Mexico, and eight from South America.

i. Posterior tibie serrate; lateral margin of the scutellum strongly reflexed ; post- scutellum bilobed ; apex of the abdomen generally with four teeth. (Paranysson.)

1. Nysson mexicanus. Nysson (Paranysson) mexicanus, Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. ix. p. 275". Nysson mexicanus, Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcv. p. 303.

Hab. Mexico (Sumichrast 1).

NYSSON.—GORYTES. 71

J, Nysson dives. Nysson dives, Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcv. p. 309, t. 4. figg. 8, 24’.

Hab. Mexico, Orizaba!.

ii. Posterior tibie not serrate; lateral margin of the scutellum not reflexed ; post- scutellum narrow, not bilobed ; apex of the abdomen (3) with not more than two

spines. (Nysson.) 3. Nysson zapotecus. Nysson zapotecus, Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soe. ix. p. 280'; Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcv. p. 360.

Hab. Mexico (Sumichrast 1).

f 4. Nysson aztecus. Nysson aztecus, Cresson, Trans. Am, Ent. Soc. ix. p. 279’; Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch.

Wien, xcv. p. 361. Hab. Mxxico (Sumichrast ').

GORYTES. Gorytes, Latreille, Hist. Nat. des Crust. et des Ins. xi. p. 808 (1805) ; Handlirsch, Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvii. p. 316 (1888).

Gorytes has been divided into many “genera”—Harpactus, Hoplisus, Lestiphorus, Euspongus, &c.; but, as Handlirsch has shown, the characters upon which they are grounded merge completely the one into the other, so that most of them can hardly be even used for divisional purposes. The Central-American species, with the exception of G. dipunctatus, which, as regards the neuration of the hind wings, is a Hoplisus, all belong to Gorytes, Cresson, that is, they have the median nerve received beyond the posterior transverse nervure.

In the excellent Monograph of Handlirsch, 121 species are described from all parts of the world. I have followed here, as closely as possible, his arrangement of the

species.

i. Median nervure of the hind wing received considerably before the posterior transverse nervure; both the recurrent nervures interstitial. (Euspongus, Cress.) |

1. Gorytes bipunctatus. (Tab. V. figg. 11; 11a, head from in front; 114, antenna.) Gorytes bipunctatus, Say, in Long’s Second Expedition, p. 338° ; Complete Writings, i. p. 228 ; Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvii. p. 355 ’. Lestiphorus bipunctatus, Dahlb. Hymen. Europ. i. p. 157. Euspongus bipunctatus, Dahlb. Hymen. Europ. i. p. 480; Cresson, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1887, Suppl.

p. 280°.

72 HYMENOPTERA.

Hab. Nortu America, Pennsylvania !23, Georgia 2, Tennessee ®, South Carolina ?.— Mexico 2, Presidio (Forrer), Temax in Northern Yucatan (Gaumer). a

2. Gorytes championi.

Nigro-eneus, nitidus, levis, vix punctulatus ; scapo antennarum subtus, clypeo, basis mandibularum, margine pronoti, scutello, metanoto, abdominis maculis duabus, tibiis tarsisque anterioribus, basi tibiarum posti- carum medioque tarsorum posticis, albis ; alis hyalinis, Segmento mediali nitido, non striolato.

Long. 64 millim.

Hab. GuatEMALA, San Geronimo (Champion).

Basal joint of the antenne curved, a little longer than the third and fourth joints united, the third and fourth subequal ; the flagellum thickened gradually to the apex, the joints each a little longer than broad, brownish beneath. Head margined behind the eyes, not much developed, and retreating ; front and vertex with short, the clypeus densely covered with a longer, silvery-white pubescence; palpi white; eyes large, strongly faceted, reaching to the base of the mandibles, converging beneath; hinder ocelli separated from each other by nearly twice the distance they are from the eyes ; a narrow furrow runs from the ocelli to the antenne, which are inserted considerably above the base of the clypeus; the latter is convex, broadly rounded at the apex. Thorax shining, rather closelyecovered with whitish pubescence ; the median segment with long soft white hair; median segment impunctate; the dorsal area clearly limited, but neither punctured nor striolated; mesopleure punctured ; the mesosternal furrow obsolete. Abdomen shining, impunctate, a little longer than the thorax; the petiole longer than the second segment, the apical half widely dilated, beneath obscure brownish-white; the second segment with a white line on either side above ; apical segment short, broad, rather strongly punctured. Legs densely covered with white pile; the tips of the intermediate tarsi blackish; the hind tarsi black, except the greater part of joints 2 and 3; tibie sparsely spined.

G. championi differs from G. bipunctatus and its allies in having the median segment not striolated at the base and not punctured. In G. championi the head and thorax (especially the mesonotum) have a much more violaceous tint than the abdomen; the second cubital cellule is, at the bottom, shorter than the third; the first recurrent nervure is received before the transverse cubital, the second is interstitial.

ii. Median nervure of the hind wing received beyond the posterior transverse nervure, or interstitial ; the recurrent nervures not interstitial.

A. Eyes not converging beneath ; median segment usually punctured, its base with a more or less triangular striolated area.

J 8. Gorytes fuscus. (Tab. V. fig. 10.) — ? Gorytes vespoides, Smith, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) xii. p. 407°.

GORYTES. 73

Hoplisus fuscus, Taschenberg, Zeitschr. f. Naturw. xlv. p. 368’. Gorytes fuscus, Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvii. p. 377°.

Hab. Norta America, Connecticut »X—Mexico, Cordova’, Orizaba®, Temax in Northern Yucatan (Gaumer); GuatemaLa, San Joaquin in Vera Paz (Champion),— Amazons, Ega!; Brazin, Rio Janeiro ?.

4, Gorytes robustus. Gorytes robustus, Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch, Wien, xcvii. p. 380°.

Hab. Mexico, Tampico !.—Sovutu America, Brazil}.

Vs, Gorytes cayennensis. Hoplisus cayennensis, Spinola, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. x. p. 116°. Gorytes cayennensis, Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcvii. p. 385 *. Gorytes sericatus, Smith, Cat. Hym. Ins. iv. p. 363°. Hoplisus anthracipennellus, Taschenberg, Zeitschr. f. Naturw. xlv. p. 366%. Hab. Muxico, Orizaba (Bilimek 2), Cordova (Saussure *).—Souta America, Colombia? *

Cayenne }, Brazil 34.

J 6. Gorytes maculipennis. (Tab. V. figg. 12; 12a, head from in front ; 12 b, antenna. )

Niger, nitidus; thorace superne sparse punctato ; scapo antennarum, margine clypei, orbitis oculorum, margine pronoti, scutello, fascia metanoti, maculis 2 in segmento mediali, tegulis fasciisque 4 abdominis, flavis ;

alis fere hyalinis, fasciis 3 fuscis. Long. 7 millim.

Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion).

Antenne stout, subclavate ; the scape elongate, narrow, yellow beneath ; the basal three-fourths of the flagellum brownish beneath ; the third joint distinctly longer than the fourth. Head not much broader than the thorax, shining, impunctate, covered with a close fuscous pile; the clypeus with silvery hair; eyes almost parallel ; hinder ocelli separated by a little more than the distance which separates them from the eyes ; front not depressed, and without keel or furrow beyond a very thin indistinct furrow over the antenne; clypeus short, broadly rounded, depressed at the base, fringed all round with silvery hair; mandibles piceous, blackish at the tips. Thorax above sparsely covered with a fuscous pile, the metapleure and sternum with a thicker and longer dull silvery pile, shining; the mesonotum and apex of the median segment covered with shallow punctures; the median area in the middle extends to near the centre of the median segment; the twelve keels gradually decrease from the centre to the sides, and are not distinctly bordered; the middle furrow is narrow, but distinct — and continuous; mesosternal furrow narrow, but distinct. Abdomen a little longer and narrower than the thorax; the petiole and first segment impunctate; the other

BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Hymenopt., Vol. II., March 1890. LL

74 HYMENOPTERA.

segments not so shining, almost alutaceous, and punctured; pygidial area keeled laterally, bluntly acute at the apex, bearing deep elongated punctures, and sparsely pilose. Ventral segments with scattered punctures; the last strongly and closely punc- tured, rufous, black at the extreme base. Legs sparsely pilose; black behind ; the tibie lined with yellow in front; the femora (the posterior pair narrowly) dull rufous in front; the tarsi reddish-testaceous; the tibial and tarsal spines and calcaria pale. The clypeus, a line along the inner orbits of the eyes (extending to about three- fourths of the length of the eye), the pronotum, tubercles, a larger spot behind them, scutellum and postscutellum, two large ovate spots on the middle segment, the tegule, the tubercles and a mark behind them, and the edges of the abdominal segments, yellow; the base and sides of the petiole rufous. Wings clear hyaline ; the radial cellule entirely, a spot at the apex of the subcostal cellule touching the costa, a small cloud in the apex of the first cubital cellule, and the top of the second cubital cellule, blackish ; stigma rufo-testaceous ; nervures blackish ; cubitus very faint beyond the third cubital cellule. ‘Tibiz spinose, the spines pale; the fore tarsi with the brush rather long.

VY 7. Gorytes punctifrons. (Tab. V. figg. 13, head from in front; 13a, antenna.)

Niger, punctatus ; segmento mediali rugoso-punctato; ore, orbitis oculorum, scapo subtus, margine pronoti, tegulis, fascia scutelli, tibiis tarsisque anterioribus, marginibus abdominis segmentis, flavis ; alis hyalinis, fascia substigmatali fusca. 9.

Long. fere 6 millim.

Hab. Mexico, Presidio (Forrer).

Antenne covered with a close pale pubescence; the scape yellow; the flagellum brownish beneath; the third joint about one quarter longer than the fourth ; the basal joint a little longer than the third and fourth united ; the joints projecting beneath ; the ninth with a blunt projecting point at the apex. Head sparsely covered with a fuscous pile, the clypeus with silvery-white hair; shining; the front and vertex bearing rather long widely-separated punctures; a wide, but not very deep, furrow below the ocelli; there is a sharp keel above the antennew. Clypeus waved in the middle, the edges with a thick tuft of hair; palpi testaceous, blackish at the base. Eyes large, very slightly converging beneath. The clypeus, the mandibles (except at the tips, which are fuscous), and the inner orbits of the eyes to near the top, broadly yellow. Thorax clothed with a short, close, pale pile, longest on the breast; bearing large, distinctly separated punctures, which are larger on the middle segment; metapleure shining, almost impunctate, broadly hollowed ; base of the median segment in the middle longitudinally striolated, the striolated part being margined and produced to a point in the centre; the edge of the pronotum, the tubercles, a larger mark behind, the tegule and the scutellum, clear yellow; the centre of the posterior region of the middle segment is hollow and keeled, the keel striolated on either side. Abdomen as long as, but

narrower than, the thorax, shining, punctured, the punctures becoming closer and

GORYTES. 7d

smaller towards the apex; covered (very closely and thickly on the apical segments)