June, '05] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 163 



the insect (as seen without preparation) the segmentation is indicated by 

 black lines. The specimens described have not produced young ; it is 

 probable that they eventually become somewhat more convex. 



Hab. Villa Encarnacion, Paraguay, on the bark of small 

 branches of a shrub {Maytenus f), sent by Mr. Schrottky. It 

 was suggested by Mr. Schrottky that the insect might prove 

 identical with C. communis Hempel, but I have specimens of 

 the latter from Mr. Hempel, and it is very different. The flat- 

 tened shape is strongly suggestive of C. dcpressus Ckll., and 

 C. formicarius Hempel ; but C. sanguineus lacks the whitish 

 ring and radiating purplish lines of the former, and differs from 

 the latter in color, antennae and legs, etc. The antennas of 

 the new species are not much like those of any other species 

 known to me ; they are quite different from those of C. albo- 

 lincatus Ckll., which has the pink color. When C. dcpressus 

 was discovered, living under bark, it was remarked that the 

 flattened form was excellently adapted to the habitat ; but now 

 we have in C. sanguineus a much flattened species living 

 entirely exposed. 



The Type of the Genus Sphex. 

 BY H. T. FERNALD, Ph. D., Amherst, Mass. 



Apparently no determination of the type of the genus Spht\\ 

 has hitherto been made, and modern writers seem to have accep- 

 ted the group as a natural one without considering whether the 

 name is the one Linnaeus intended for these insects. Recent 

 investigation of this question by the writer, taken up on the 

 supposition that the nomenclature of the group had long been 

 settled, has led to such unexpected results, however, that it 

 seems advisable to present them in connected form at this time. 



In the tenth edition of the Systema Naturae, Linnaeus de- 

 scribes twenty-five species of Sphc.x : nine of these he places in 

 the subdivision ' ' Abdomine petiolato ; petiolo elongate ; ' 

 while the other sixteen are located in the division " Abdomine 

 subsessili." Seven of the species are exotic from the stand- 

 point of the author, hence of course are not available as possi- 

 ble types, leaving eighteen for consideration. Of these, all 



