No. 5. — The Psammocharidae of ]]'cstcrn North America. 



By Nathan Banks. 



The Psammocharidae, a family of fossorial H\Tnenoptera, long 

 known as Pompilidae, are mostly black insects of moderate size; 

 the females are provided with a \'ery painful sting, doubtless as severe 

 as that of any hymenopteron. A few species are large with bright 

 reddish or yellowish wings, others are small, pale colored, but as a rule 

 there is little variation in color. They are very active and not easily 

 taken. Owing to their agility, stinging ability, and dull colors, they 

 have been more neglected by collectors and systematists than other 

 families of fossorial Hymenoptera. 



In the past few years I have received collections from Messrs. R. W. 

 Doane, E. P. and M. C. Van Duzee, and especially C. F. Baker; 

 recently a large amount of Western material from Prof. J. Chester 

 Bradley collected mostly by himself. In the M. C. Z. is much mate- 

 rial collected by Mr. Henshaw in Washington in 1882. 



Compared with the Eastern States the fauna presents more of the 

 Sophropompilus and Aporinellus, and less of Pseudagenia and Priocne- 

 mis, but the most notable fact is the absence of red-banded black 

 species. These are very common in the East while I have seen but 

 one from the West (Washington). 



Sy7iopsis of Genera. 



1. Claws of hind tarsi bent at right angles; antennae situate considerably 



above the clypeus; lab rum exserted for its entire length; metanotum 



at base bilobed ^ Ceratopales. 



Claws not bent at right angles 2 



2. A transverse furrow on the second ventral segment (absent in some males) ; 

 in the fore wings the second discoidal cell at base is right-angled, and 



without a distinct pocket 3 



No such furrow on the venter ; in fore wings the second discoidal cell has a 

 small pocket at base, the hind tibiae never serrate, always more or less 

 irregularly spined 8 



3. Hind tibiae without spines or only very weak ones, never serrate; in hind 



wings the transverse median vein ends before the cubitus; last tarsal 



joint without spines beneath 4 



Hind tibiae more or less serrately spined, if (male) nearly smooth, then the 

 transverse median vein of hind wings is not before the cubitus 5 



