THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 149 



Thorax in 9 undivided, all the parts being closely united 

 or soldered together, and without visible sutures between ; 

 pygidium normal ; hypopygium in $ simple, unarmed, but 

 the genital plate is armed with two slender straight spines 

 which project more or less distinctly from the tip of the 

 abdomen ; hind wings witlvnit an anal lobe, the cubitus 

 originating far before the transverse median 

 nervure Family XLIL, Mutillidse. 



Family XXVIL— Pompilid^e. 

 This family, which is the first to be treated of in the superfamily, has 

 long been known under the family name Pompilido'.. 



The first genus to be described in the family, however, was Ceropales, 

 Latreille, in 1796, which antedates Pompilus, Fabr., fully two years, the 

 latter not being described until 1798, so that, following the now well- 

 established rule in zoological nomenclature, viz., that a family name must 

 be based upon the first genus described, the name Pompilidce should 

 probably give way to Ceropalid^. 



I am opposed to changing a well-established family name, and after 

 much hesitation and long deliberation, I venture to retain this long- 

 established family name. 



The family Pompilidas is quite distinct from all the others in the 

 superfamily, by the uniform habitus of the species, the only group with 

 which any of the species could be confused being probably some forms in 

 the Vespidce. (subfamily Polistinffi), some species of which bear a superficial 

 resemblance in size, colour and shape to Pompilus and allies ; but the non- 

 folded wings, the venation of the wings, and the length and characteristic 

 features of the legs, as well as cephalic, mandibular and palpal characters, 

 readily separate them from the Vespidte. 



The history of the family and our present knowledge of the genera, 

 may be best shown by giving the bibliography of the genera in chrono- 

 logical order, as follows : 



1796. — Ceropales, Latreille, Prec. car. gener. Insect, p. 123. 1798. — 

 Pompilus, Fabricius, Syst. Entom. SuppL, p. 246. 1804. — Salius. 

 Fabricius, Syst. Piez.,p. 124. 1806. — Cryptocheilus, Panzer, Krit. Revis. 

 II., 120. 1808. — Aporus, Spinola, Insect. Ligur., II., p. 5. 1822. — 

 Planiceps, Latreille, Nouv. diet. hist, natur., ]). ?. 1830. — Afacromeris, 

 Lepeletier, Magas. de Zool., I., pp. 29-30. 1836. — Chirodamus, Haliday, 



