CKYPTUS. 207 



Mesonotal sutures almost obsolete. Scutellum carinated at the sides throughout. 

 MetanQtum coarsely rugose ; there are two transverse carina?, both curved upwards, in 

 the centre, the upper one joined to the base of the metanotum by two short keels, which 

 form a small triangular area; tubercles stout, double as long as broad. Petiole 

 shining, smooth, the postpetiole obsoletely punctured ; the rest of the abdomen finely 

 and closely punctured, opaque. Ovipositor a little longer than the petiole. The hind 

 legs are much darker than the others, the ferruginous tinge being obscured with 

 fuscous. Areolet square ; stigma blackish, reddish at extreme base. The base of the 

 wings is slightly obscured with fuscous. 



17. Cryptus xanthostigma. (Tab. IX. fig. 14.) 



Cryptus xanthostigma, Brulle, Hist. Nat. Ins. Hymen, iv. p. 190. 



Hab. Mexico, Ciudad in Durango (Forrer) ; Guatemala, near the City, Cerro Zunil 

 (Champion). 



Dark ferruginous ; the flagellum of the antennae (except joints 3-10, which are yel- 

 lowish-white), the fovea at the base of the scutellum, its keels, the apex of the meso- 

 notum, the base of the second and third abdominal segments, the ovipositor, and the 

 greater part of the four posterior legs, black. Wings fuscous, a broad yellow band in the 

 middle of both, and a smaller one (which does not go completely across, and is narrowed 

 posteriorly) at the apex of the stigma, which is yellow, black at the apex. Opaque, 

 finely and closely punctured, the metathorax more strongly than the rest of the body ; 

 covered with a close glistening pubescence, which is, if anything, stronger laterally. 

 Metanotum with blunt tubercles, not very clearly differentiated from the transverse keel, 

 which does not extend completely across, being interrupted in the middle. Abdomen 

 very finely and closely punctured, the punctuation almost hidden by the white, short 

 pubescence. Petiole shining, nearly impunctate. Ovipositor, if anything, longer than 

 the abdomen. The hind legs are black ; the middle pair black, dark ferruginous in 

 front ; the front pair ferruginous ; the coxae and femora inclining to ferruginous behind. 

 Areolet 5-angled, the lateral nervures scarcely converging above, the outer ones bul- 

 lated ; below, the recurrent nervure is received a little beyond the middle. 



The male has the antennae longer, and the joints 3-13 of the flagellum yellowish, with 

 a tinge of ferruginous, and closely pilose. The four anterior legs have less black, 

 the tarsi are lighter in tint, and the two basal joints of the hind pair are yellowish, 

 ferruginous at the extreme apex. The pubescence on the thorax is denser (especially 

 on the metathorax), and above it is darker ; the upper transverse keel on the metanotum 

 is more distinct (in the female it is semiobsolete) ; the first segment of the abdomen is 

 longer and more slender, and the postpetiole bears a few punctures. 



The amount of black on the legs varies in both sexes, the black running into ferru- 

 ginous. I rather think the species I have described is not identical with C. xanthO' 



