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 tibise formed of very Jong 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. Mexico, Chapultepec (BilimeJc 1 ). 



/ 

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



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



hyalinis. 

 Long. 1\\ millim. 



Hob. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz {Schumann). 



Antennse 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 pleurae 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. 



