294 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1896. 



Cuyabd is the capital of Matto Grosso, on the River Cuyaba, a 

 sub-branch of the Paraguay : soil dry and stony, with campo growth ; 

 climate dry and hot. 



Citchoeira is just above Cuyaba, on low. semi-swampy laud. 



Chapada. Here the greater part of the collection was made. It 

 is an Indian villaire, thirtv miles northeast of Cuvaba, on the plateau 

 stretching from the southern tributaries of the Amazon to the flood- 

 plains of the Paraguay, and is about 2,700 ft. above sea level. The 

 land in the immediate vicinity of the village is clayey or stonv. 

 Many of the specimens marked from here are from the neighboring 

 settlements of Abrilonga, Gloria, etc., several hundred feet lower, 

 and on sandy soil. All this region has a varied vegetation : stretches 

 of open land or campo and semi-forest are interspersed with large 

 patches of heavy forest. The climate is never very warm (mean at 

 Chapada 72° F.) and there are cold snaps in June, July and August, 

 when the thermometer frequently sinks to 40° or lower. These cold 

 snaps are caused by southerly winds, which, as Mr. Smith states, he 

 has proved are the same as the " pamperos," which are so destructive 

 to shipping on the Rio de la Plata. The latitude of Chapada is 

 about 14°8'. The hymenoptera from this place were largely col- 

 lected on flowers about the open lands, and near the streams, where 

 many specimens were gathered in muddy places. 



To quote from a letter of June 16, 1896, from Mr. Smith: " I 

 cannot say that the collection of fossorial hymenoptera is a par- 

 ticularly good one. The best work was done at Chapada ; but even 

 there most of our time was given to other branches, and I was much 

 interrupted. In my opinion, the hymenoptera of Brazil are hardly 

 touched. The rule in the tropica, with all orders of insects, is that 

 a few species are common, while a great majority are rare, and re- 

 quire a long and patient collecting to amass a reasonably good rep- 

 resentation. Probably the Scoliidse are as well represented as any, 

 because most of the species are large and conspicuous. They have 

 a very peculiar and almost indescribable odor. I found them most 

 common on flowers." 



The Scoliidie are as follows : 



Xyzine flavopicta Sm. 



Rio de Janeiro (Xovember) ; Corumba (February and April) ; 

 Chapada (March and November). Four female and seven male speci- 

 mens. Burmeister's M. dujjlicata is a variety of this species. 



