14r) THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Mandibles never very large nor 4-dentate, either suiiple, bi- 

 dentate, or at most 3-dentate ; hind wings without a distinct 

 venation, at most, and rarely^ with only one basal cell, the 

 radius always absent Superfamily V., Proctotrypoidea. 



SuPERFAMiLY III.- — Vespoidca. 



The families belonging to this superfamily may be distinguished 

 by the characters made use of in the following table : 



Table of Families. 

 Abdomen either sessile or petiolate, with the first ventral segment 

 distmctly separated from the second by a more or less deep 

 constriction or transverse furrow; legs most frequently fossorial . . 5. 

 Abdomen either sessile or petiolate, but the second ventral segment not 

 separated from the first by a strong constriction or transverse furrow ; 

 if somewhat constricted, then the legs are }iot fossorial and the wings 

 are usually folded in repose ; in the former case the legs may be either 

 fossorial or simple. 



Posterior legs usually short, the femora rarely reaching to or at least 

 extending much beyond the middle of the abdomen; legs most 



frequently not fossorial 2. 



Posterior legs long, the femora most frequently reaching to or beyond 

 the tip of the abdomen ; tibije in $ most frequently serrate or 

 spinous, more rarely entirely smooth; middle tibiae with two 

 apical spurs Family XXVII., Pompilidae, 



2. Wings not folded in repose ; ? sometimes apterous 3. 



Wings folded in repose ; never apterous. 



Claws simple; middle tibiae with two apical spurs; sexes three, 

 $ '^i $ Family XXVIIL, Vespid^. 



Claws with one or more teeth beneath ; middle tibiae with one or 

 two apical spurs ; sexes two, V and ^ . . Family XXIX., Eumenidae. 



3. Metathoracic angles usually acutely produced, the metanotum pos- 



teriorly concave ; scutellum large, flat, convex, conical or spined ; 

 if the metathoracic angles are rounded, which occurs rarely, the 

 abdomen has only from 3 to 5 visible segments. 



Abdomen normal, with at least 6 distinct segments, the venter 

 flat; antennas usually strongly clavate, in $ knobbed at apex • 

 scutellum very large, flat ; species not metallic ; antennae never 

 more than 12-jointed Family XXX., Masaridae. 



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