THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 39 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE FOSSORIAL, PREDACEOUS AND 



PARASITIC WASPS, OR THE SUPERFAMILY 



VESPOIDEA. 



BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, A. M., ASSISTANT CURATOR, DIVISION OF INSECTS, 



U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



(Paper No. 12. — Continued from Vol. XXXV., p. 8.) 

 Family XXXVII.— Tiphiidns. 



By most systematists this family is still classified with the Scoliidce, 

 although separated as a distinct family by the Swedish entomologist, C. G. 

 Thomson, as early as 1874. I agree with Thomson, and believe ihe?e 

 wasps form a distinct family, easily recognized by the characters made use 

 of in my table of families. 



The genus Engycistus, Fox, based upon Myzitie rufiventris, Cresson, 

 was classified by Cresson, Cameron and Fox with the Scoliidce. Mr. Fox 

 has kindly sent me specimens for examination, male and female, and I 

 find them true Tiphiids ; they have nothing to do with the Myzinidce or 

 Scoliidce as now restricted. 



The genus Pteroinbus, Smith, still unknown to me in nature, also 

 evidently belongs here. 



Mr. Peter Cameron, in Biologia Centrali-Americana, has described a 

 number of species under the genus Epomidiopteron, De Romand. Those 

 of his species that I have recognized, however, do not belong to it, but 

 belong to the genus Paratiphia, Sichel. Epomidiopteron, De Romand, 

 is something quite different, and is apparently closely allied to Engycistus, 

 Fox. 



In habits the Tiphiidce agree with the ScoliidcB, being parasitic upon 

 ground-inhabiting beetle larvae. Tiphia inornaia, Say, attacks our 

 Lachnosterna larvfe, but it is widely distributed and must have other hosts. 



Table of Genera. 



1. Females 2. 



Males "• 



2. Marginal cell open at apex 5. 



Marginal cell closed a.i apex ; first transverse cubitus complete, tlie first 



and second cubital cell separated. 



Cubitus in hind wings interstitial with the transverse median 

 nervure, or originating Just before it ; three cubital cells in 

 front wings 3. 



