224 HTMENOPTEEA. 



the mesonotum and scutellum coarsely and strongly punctured ; the median segment 

 also punctured over the entire surface, but with the punctures somewhat smaller than 

 those on the mesonotum. Abdomen closely and finely punctured; the hair on the 

 apical segments above long, black, and thick. Legs deep black, the spines and hair 

 also black. Wings deep violaceous-blue. 



The male is similarly coloured and clothed, the antennas in this sex bearing a close 

 microscopic greyish pile, which gives them a palish appearance. 



It is obvious that this insect is nearly related to S. azteca ; the latter, however, differs 

 from S. monticola in having the " segmenti ventralis secundi baseos subtruncatse tuber- 

 culum medium obtusum, $ minutum, fere evanidum, d majus, latiusculum, medio 

 transverse emarginatum, utrinque longitudinaliter subcarinatum." 



b. Body with yellow markings, the wings fusco-violaceous. (Species 4 and 5.) 



\f 4. Scolia guttata. 



Scolia guttata, Burm. Abh. Nat. ges. Halle, i. 4, p. 36 1 ; Smith, Cat. Hymen. Ins. iii. p. 97 2 ;. 

 Sauss. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1858, p. 218 a j Sauss. & Siehel, Cat. Sp. Gen. Scolia, p. 130 4 . 



Hab. Mexico 1 2 4 , San Bias in Jalisco (Schumann), Orizaba (H. H. Smith & F. D. 6r.), 

 Atoyac in Vera Cruz (Schumann) ; Guatemala, Panima and San Geronimo in Vera Paz 

 (Champion); Nicakagua, Chontales (Belt); Costa Rica, Volcan de Irazu 6000 to 7000 

 feet (Bogers); Panama, Bugaba and David in Chiriqui (Champion). — Colombia 3 ; 

 Venezuela 3 , Caracas 4 . 



This is a very variable species, not only in size (20-30 millim.), but in coloration. 



The commonest form has the edge of the clypeus, a triangular mark on either side 

 of the pronotum, a larger squarish one on the mesopleurae below the tegulae, the 

 scutellum and postscutellum, a small mark on either side of the basal abdominal 

 segment, two larger roundish marks on the second segment, two smaller ones on the 

 third, and a transverse mark on the base of the apical segment, yellow. 



A variety from Orizaba has a large mark on either side of the pronotum, a small 

 mark on one side of the scutellum, the postscutellum entirely, a small mark in the centre 

 of the median segment, and a larger one on either side of it, a broad transverse line on 

 the basal segment of the abdomen, two large marks on the second segment, two some- 

 what smaller ones on the third, and two very much smaller ones on the fourth segment, 

 bright lemon-yellow ; another specimen from the same locality has two marks on the 

 pronotum, the postscutellum, two marks on the base of the median segment, two marks 

 (almost united) on the basal abdominal segment, two large ones on the second segment, 

 two somewhat smaller ones on the third, and two much smaller spots on the fourth 

 segment, yellow. 



An example from Bugaba has two large marks on the pronotum, the scutellum, and 

 postscutellum, and two roundish marks on the four basal abdominal segments, yellow. 



