356 HYMENOPTEKA. 



basal half of the mandibles ferruginous. The scape of the antennae ferruginous and 

 covered with long white hairs ; the basal two joints of the flagellum ferruginous, its 

 second joint twice the length of the third. The thorax rounded at the base, the apex 

 with an oblique slope, the apical half sharply narrowed ; black; the pronotum thickly 

 covered with pale fulvous hair ; there is a spot of pale golden pubescence on the 

 middle of the mesonotum, the apex bearing long white hairs ; the pleurae are thickly 

 covered with pale hairs ; the metapleurae are coarsely reticulated. The abdomen is 

 densely covered with pale fulvous pubescence ; at the base is a large black mark, 

 which becomes gradually wider towards the apex, the base having a short neck; from 

 this mark a black line runs uniting it with a slightly smaller one which has the apex 

 dilated in the middle. The first segment is broader than long, hollowed in the centre ; 

 the sides and apex are coarsely punctured and bear long white hair ; the apex is 

 more or less ferruginous. The pygidium is black, longitudinally striolated, the sides 

 bearing long black hairs ; the apex is not incised. The keel on the basal ventral 

 segment is large, truncated at the base and apex, and is present only on the middle 

 of the segment ; the second ventral segment is coarsely punctured, and sparsely 

 covered with white hairs ; the other ventral segments are densely haired. The legs 

 reddish, covered with long white hair ; the spines and calcaria reddish. 



v 78. Sphaerophthalma pallene. 



Nigra, argenteo-pilosa ; thoracis basi apiceque nigris ; abdominis basi et apice nigris, apiee segmento 2° late 



nigro. $ . 

 Long. 14 millim. 



Hab. Mexico, Ventanas in Durango 2000 feet (Forrer). 



In general coloration this insect approaches S. sumichrasti ; but it differs from the 

 female of that species in having the base and apex of the thorax above broadly 

 black, the basal segment of the abdomen black and not densely covered with pale 

 pubescence, and the second black mark on the abdomen divided in the middle, while 

 the occiput is slightly concave and not transverse as in S. sumichrasti. 



The head subquadrate, rounded in front, slightly convex behind ; densely covered 

 with pale fulvous pubescence, which hides the colour ; the part behind the eyes not 

 quite equalling them in length ; the base of the mandibles rufous. The antennae are 

 stout ; the scape covered with fulvous hair, the flagellum with a dull pile ; the third 

 joint is twice the length of the fourth. The thorax with the base rounded, the apex 

 with an oblique slope and distinctly narrowed from the middle ; covered with long 

 pale fulvous hair; the apex and base broadly black, and covered with black hair. 

 The abdomen is longer than the head and thorax united ; the basal segment is black, 

 covered with long white hairs, and sparsely punctured ; the base of the second segment 

 is broadly black, the black roundly incised in the middle, the black bearing black hairs, 

 the rest of the segment densely covered with pale fulvous hair, and on the following 



