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. 



^ 20. Ammoptala fragilis. (Tab. I, fig. 5, s ,) 



Ammophila fragilis , Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iv. p. 219 * ; Taschenberg, Zeitschr. ges. Nat. Sachs. 

 Thiir. xxxiv. p. 434 (1869) 2 . 



Hab. Mexico, Northern Sonora {Morrison), Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer) ; 

 Costa Eica, Cache (Bogers).^ South Amekica, Brazil x 2 . 



I believe I 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 tegulse. 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 coxeb with a few hairs. The hair on the head and thorax is 

 pale fuscous, sparse, and not very long. 



Smith describes 1 the " abdomen as blue-black, and the second joint of the petiole 

 and the base of the abdomen as ferruginous beneath." Taschenberg says 2 " petioli 

 apice et parte antica abdominis nigro-cserulei 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 



