328 . HYMEN OPTERA. 



Head wider than the thorax, coarsely punctured; the vertex broadly golden to near 

 the end, and sparsely covered with blackish hair and with a golden pubescence; the 

 pubescence behind the eyes is pale golden, on the oral region it is long, fulvous, and 

 white; the mandibles are entirely black. The scape of the antennae bears golden 

 hair; the flagellum from the fourth joint is brownish beneath ; the third joint is more 

 than double the length of the fourth. The thorax is not much longer than the head, 

 coarsely punctured ; above ferruginous, with a black band narrowed in the centre 

 down its middle (the band being broadest at the base, where it is somewhat triangular) ; 

 the base transverse ; the apical half narrower than the basal half; the apex has a steep 

 oblique slope. The base of the pleurae is striolated transversely and is ferruginous 

 above ; the centre shining, impunctate, and covered on the lower side with a white 

 pubescence ; the apex has some shallow punctures and is stoutly toothed. The first 

 abdominal segment is covered with long white hair ; close to the base of the second 

 segment are two small orange spots, and at the apex are two much larger ones; the 

 third to the fifth segments are fringed with pale golden hair; the pygidium at the 

 apex is testaceous and is covered with long bright golden hairs. The base of the first 

 ventral segment is convex, narrowed to a blunt ridge ; the apical keel is indicated 

 only at the base and is oblique. The punctures on the second segment are shallow 

 and irregular in size. The ventral segments are fringed with pale fulvous hair ; the 

 hypopygium is obscure testaceous and is punctured. The hair on the coxae, femora, 

 and tibiae is white, on the tarsi ferruginous ; the tibial spines are very long. 



iii. The posterior edges of the head rounded, not carinate. (Species 32-52.) 



Blake, in his Monograph, only records two members of this section from North 

 America. The following two species have the same type of coloration as the four 

 preceding — the head and thorax covered with bright golden pubescence, the legs 

 black, and the abdomen black with golden spots — and only differ from them in having 

 no trace of a keel on the edge of the head behind. 



1 (2). The golden pubescence on the mesonotum not divided; the pleurae 



entirely black cordovensis. 



2 (1). The golden pubescence on the mesonotum divided; the pleurae 

 broadly rufous at the base mirandillensis. 



32. Sphaerophthalma cordovensis. 



Long. 14 millim. $ . 



Bob. Mexico, Cordova (Edge). 



Head a little (but distinctly) wider than the thorax, almost transverse before and 

 behind, the posterior margin broadly rounded ; closely and rather coarsely punctured, 



