92 HYMENOPTERA. 



lirsch treats them as good species. S. hogardii is distinguished (teste Handlirsch) by 

 the abdomen wanting the yellow markings ; S. raptor, S. spectabilis, and S. speciosus 

 have yellow marks only on the first two or three segments, S. raptor having the body 

 red, the two others having it black ; S. spectabilis has only the first and second segments 

 marked with yellow and the wings " vix lutescentes," and S. speciosus has the third 

 segment marked with yellow, and the wings "valde lutescentes." S. grandis and S. 

 fervidus (having the five segments marked with yellow) are separated inter se by the 

 former having the wings " valde infumatge," as opposed to the wings " parvum infumatse, 

 in area radiali obscuriores " of S. fervidus. The specimens from our region have the 

 pro- and mesonotum rufous ; those from Guatemala have the basal two, the one from 

 Honduras the basal three, segments marked with yellow ; the latter has, if anything, 

 the wings rather lighter in tint, although in all the rufo-fulvous tinge is conspicuous. 

 The amount of red on the thorax and of yellow on the abdomen is not alike in any of 

 the specimens. 



This insect preys on Cicadw. Patton x thus remarks on its habits : " I have observed 

 this wasp dragging its prey, the Cicada pruinosa, Say. The Cicada, paralysed by the 

 sting of the wasp, was placed upon its back with the wings folded. The wasp, standing 

 over it, caught hold of the bases of the wings with the claws of her intermediate tarsi, 

 and, walking upon her anterior and the tips of her posterior tarsi, dragged the Cicada 

 head foremost over the ground, the intermediate tarsi of the wasp extending from the 

 bases of the wings to the eyes of the Cicada. Proceeding in this manner, and with an 

 occasional flutter of the wings if harassed, she ascended a small evergreen tree, 

 probably to attain an elevation from which to take flight, and was there lost to view." 



STENIOLIA. 



Steniolia, Say, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. i. p. 367 (1837) ; Complete Writings, ii. p. 751 ; Handlirsch, 

 Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcviii. p. 504. 



This genus agrees with Monedula in the front ocellus not being linear and trans- 

 versely curved as is the case with Bembex and Bembidula ; but the maxillary palpi 

 have only three joints and the labial palpi only one joint; the anterior ocellus is 

 elliptical ; and the maxillse are elongate, reaching, when pressed, nearly or quite to the 

 hind coxse. Like Monedula, Steniolia is confined to the Neotropical and Nearctic 

 Regions. 



* 1. Steniolia longirostra. (Steniola longirostra, Tab. VI. figg. 9, male organ ; 



10, 2 .)• 



Bembex longirostra, Say, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. i. p. 366 x ; Complete Writings, ii. p. 751. 

 Steniolia longirostra, Handl. Sitz. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. Wien, xcviii. p. 508 2 . 

 Monedula montezuma, Smith, Cat. Hym. Ins. iv. p. 334 3 . 



Hab. Mexico 123 , Northern Sonora (Morrison), Venta de Zopilote in Guerrero 

 2800 feet, Cuernavaca (H. H. Smith) ; Guatemala, Panajachel 5000 feet, San Gero- 

 nimo 3000 feet (Champion). 



