Fossorial Ilymenoptera of North America. 423 



GORYTES, Latr. 

 " Gorytea, Latr., Hist. Nat., xiii, 808. (1805)." 

 This extensive and well known genus may be easily recognized by 

 its transversely ovate cylindrical shaped head, when seen from above, 

 though the angles are quite well marked, while the front is unusually 

 narrow, as the large full eyes approach unusually near each other; on 

 this account the clypeus is much longer than usual ; the antenna) are 

 clavate. The propodeum is round, very smooth and unarmed ; the 

 triangular enclosure is either smooth and highly polished, or very re- 

 gularly striated. The other sub-costal cells are large, and the 2d is 

 very broad, where it is minute and subpedunculated in Nysson. The 

 legs are short, and the sessile, or more generally, subpedunculate abdo- 

 men is distinctly ovate. It is a true mimetic, or comprehensive type, 

 reminding us strikingly of Odynerus, a member of the Vespida?, a 

 higher group. In its neuration it does not differ greatly from Melli- 

 nus, but the front of the head is very different. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



A. Front twice as broad as in the following species ; edge of clypeus 



greatly thickened ; body coarsely punctured. 

 Body very short; wings spotted; clypeus black G. nebulosus, Pack. 



B. Odynerus-like, body long and slender, smooth and polished, rounded 



trapezoidal, yellow. 



Antennae red on the basal two-thirds; two large oval 



spots on the propodeum G. venustus, Cress. 



Antennae black, two basal abdominal rings yellow, 



propodeum with red spots G. abdominalis, Cress. 



Antennae red beneath, brown above, 2d abdominal ring 



red, yellow band behind G. rufo-luteus, Pack. 



Antennae pale fuscous beneath, yellow above; body 



black, propodeum smooth, abdomen black, with 



yellow bands G. fulvipennis, Smith. 



Antennae red, brown on tips above, two basal rings of 



abdomen red with yellow bands, propodeum 



smooth G. modestus, Cress. 



Body black, antennae black, wings clear, 3d costal 



cell clouded G. ephippiatus, Pack. 



Antennse black, body dull black, legs black, propo- 

 deum coarsely punctured, with two yellow dots...G. rugosus, Pack. 



Propodeum with six striae on each side of the mesial 

 furrow: black; antennae black, red beneath to- 

 wards base G. simillimus, Smith. 



Propodeum with three striae on each side of the mesial 



furrow, posteriorly very coarsely fossulated G. canaliculars, Tack. 



