138 KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



■6. Labrum large, longer than wide, conspicuously exserted; ocelli 

 aborted, represented by cicatrices ; mandibles not notched beneath ; 

 transverse-median nervure of hind wings sinuate or somewhat 



jJ-shaped Bembecid^ 



Labrum small, largely or entirely hidden beneath the clypeus; at 

 least the anterior ocellus perfect; mandibles frequently notched 

 beneath; marginal cell of fore wings usually appendiculate at 

 apex; transverse-median nervure of hind wings straight; not 

 ^-shaped; fore tibial spur not furcate Larrid^ 



The Larridse have a world-wide distribution. They are well 

 represented in the temperature zones of both hemispheres. A 

 large number of species have been described from the oriental 

 Region. Some of the neotropical species are conspicuous for 

 their size and coloration. 



The limits of the family are not clearly defined, so that the 

 group may be said to be in an unstable condition. Kohl, Sharp 

 and others treat it as a subfamily or group of the Sphegidse, 

 but Cre.sson, Ashmead, and Mercet (in Spain) are among those 

 who give these wasps full family rank. 



The writer has not examined all of the genera of the North 

 American Larridse, and has seen but few extra-American 

 species. For this reason he is not prepared to enter at any 

 length into its family characteristics, and consequently bases 

 his conclusions very largely upon North American species and 

 literature. As considered here, the genera T-rypoxijlon and 

 Pison (which have deeply emarginate eyes and the abdomen 

 subclavate), Dienophis, Astata, Dinetus and Diploplectron 

 (which have the middle tibiae with two apical spurs), some- 

 times considered as belonging to the family, are here excluded 

 from the Larridse. 



The type of the genus Larva and of the family Larridse is 

 Larva anathema (Rossi), a large, handsome species of the Old 

 World, and not differing greatly from our own Larva analis. 



The family can be conveniently divided into two groups or 

 subfamilies : 



Those having the posterior ocelli imperfect — Larrinse. 

 Those having three perfect ocelli; these may be called Atypical Larridae. 

 The type genus belongs to the Larrinse. 



