SPHECODES. 197 



first recurrent nervure in its centre, the second recurrent 

 nervure springing from just beyond the centre of the 

 third submarginal cell ; leys slightly but rigidly spinose 

 and setose; claws bifid. ABDOMEN ovate. 



The MALES differ, in having the antennae longer and 

 sometimes moniliform, the lower part of the face and 

 clypcus usually covered with a dense short silvery decum- 

 bent pubescence, and they have the metathorax truncated 

 at its base ; in other respects they greatly resemble their 

 females. 



The insects of this genus may be called glabrous, their 

 pubescence being so slight and scattered, they usually 

 shine brightly, and are more or less deeply punctured ; and 

 the abdomen is always partially or entirely of a bright 

 ferruginous red, sometimes verging into fuscous or pitchy. 



NATIVE SPECIES. 



1. gibbus, Linnseus, <$ ? . 3-44 l ines - (Plate I. fig. 



3c? ?) 



sphecoides. Kirby, $ . 

 monilicornis, Kirby, d . 

 picea, Kirby, $ . 



2. Geoffroyella, Kirby, $ ? . 1-3 lines. 



divisa, Kirby, . 

 S.fuscipennis, Germar, <j> . 4^-6 lines. 



GENEUAL OBSERVATIONS. 



This genus is named from o-(/;f, a wasp, from its 

 apparent resemblance to some of the sand wasps. 



They are not uncommon insects, and I have found 

 them abundant in sandy spots sporting in the sunshine 

 upon the bare ground, where they run about with great 

 activity, the females chiefly, the males the while dis- 



