45o Franz Friedr. Kohl. \25"'~\ 



The male closely resembles che female, but is more thickly pubeseent, and the ab- 

 domen is more denselv clothed with silkv pile. 



Hab. Vandiemensland. 



This species most closelv resembles Sphex canescens, but is at once distinguished 

 by the form of the submarginal cells and bv having a longer petiole.« 



170. Sphex optimus Smith. 



Sphex optima Smith, Cat. Hvm. Brit. Mus., P. IV, 24?, 5 i856 



»Female. Length 1 .•! lines. Black: the face and cheeks denselv clothed with rieh 

 golden pubescence; 011 the Vertex are scattered a few erect fuscous hairs. The pro- 

 thorax, sides and hinder margin of the mesothorax above, the tubercles and a spot beneath 

 the wings, clothed with bright golden pubescence; the mesothorax has anteriorlv a cen- 

 tral, abbreviated, impressed line which is coated with golden pubescence; the postscu- 

 tellum has a spot on each side, and the apex of the metathorax is denselv clothed with 

 short silvery-white pubescence; theere is also a silverv stripe on the sides at the inser- 

 tion of the posterior coxae; the metathorax is tliinlv covered with a changeable glitter- 

 ing pile, observable in dili'erent lights; a similar pile also Covers the legs; wings 

 vellowish-hvaline, their apical margins clouded, the nervures black. Abdomen red, 

 with the petiole and three apical Segments black; the third segment has on each side 

 an oblique fuscous line which unites in the middle of the segment; the fourth segment 

 has its apical margin narrowlv and obscurelv ferruginous; the apical segment rugose. 

 Hab. Africa (Gambia).« 



171. Sphex perplexus Smith. 



Sphex perplexa Smith, Cat. Hvm. Brit. Mus., P. IV, 255, d 1 i856 



»Male. Length 10 lines. Black: the face covered with silverv pubescence; the 

 head and thorax with a sparing black pubescence; the thorax finely rugose, the meta- 

 thorax transversely so; the wings fusco-hyaline, their apical margins clöuded. Abdomen 

 verv smooth and shining, the base of the first segment ferruginous, the apical margins 

 of three or four of the basal Segments narrowlv rufo-pieeous. 

 Hab. North China (Shangai). 



This insect so closely resembles the male of Sphex emarginata, that, with the 

 exception of the pale margins of the Segments of the abdomen, three is scarcelv another 

 specific dirlerence; both have the second submarginal cell narrow, which reeeives the 

 rirst recurrent nervure in the middle.« 



172. Sphex praedator Smith. 



Sphex praedator Smith, .lourn. Proc. Linn. Soc, III, 14, d 1 i85g 



»Male. Length io'/, lines Black; the head and thorax opake. Abdomen shining 

 blue-black. The face with silverv pile on each side of the clypeus, and sprinkled with 

 erect black hairs. Thorax: the posterior margin of the prothorax with a line of silvery 

 pubescence; the metathorax with a short light-brown pubescence at the apex, and thinlv 

 clothed with black hairs; wings dark brown, with a brillant violett iridescence. Ab- 

 domen blue-black, smooth and shining. 

 Hab. Celebes 



