138 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, 



Notes on the LARRAD/E, by William H. Patton. 



By WILLIAM J. Fox. 



In the April number of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, under the 

 title " Notes on the Larradae," Mr. Patton has made several as- 

 sertions which, if not corrected, would ultimately cause much 

 confusion, as they are entirely in error. In correcting these state- 

 ments I wish to state that I do it in the best of good-will and 

 friendliness to Mr. Patton, to whom I had written some time 

 ago, pointing out the errors. 



Liris Fab. I am not acquainted with this genus, but accord- 

 ing to Kohl, who must certainly be acquainted with it, the outer 

 edge ol the mandibles are without a notch; both sexes have the 

 mandibles bidentate within, not only those of the 9 . In the 

 original description, or in any other of this genus, no mention 

 whatever is made of the tarsi, yet Mr. Patton states that it is 

 " founded on a male type with peculiar tarsi." 



Liris coxalis Patt. is synonymous with Tachytes aurulenta Fab. 



Tacky sphex Kohl. This genus is characterized and distin- 

 guished from Tachytes, to which it is allied, by the more slender 

 form and more feeble hairing; the anterior femora of the are 

 notched near the base beneath; the fore tarsi 9 having very long, 

 flexible spines, and the pygidium being naked. It is certainly 

 not represented in this country by Larra analis Fab. as an ex- 

 amination of that species will show. 



Lyroda subita Say certainly does not belong to Didineis, 

 which belongs to the Nyssonidae. The hind femora are toothed 

 near the apex in Didineis, which is not the case in Lyroda subita. 



I am not acquainted with Pisonitus and Sylaon, so again refer 

 to Kohl. Pisonitus Shuck, is a synonym of Pison Spin. Sylaon 

 Pice, and Bothynostelhus Kohl, differ from Pison in having the 

 marginal cell appendiculate, and a pygidial area on the last dorsal 

 segment 9. Bothynostethus differs from Sylaon by having a. 

 notch on outer margin of mandibles. 



"Larra divisa Pttn. is 9 of L. ccthiops Cress." How can this 

 be ? The type of (zthiops is a 9 , ^nd is distinct from divisa in 

 having the pygidial area differently shaped. 



