510 



NEW AND LITTLE KNOWN INDIAN HYMENOPTERA. 



BY 

 LlEUT.-COLONEL C. G. NURSE. 



The following paper deals with the Fossorial genera Astata, Tachytes, Ta- 

 chysphex, and Larra, which form a portion of the Sphegidas. All these are 

 numerous in sandy localities, and I had good opportunities for studying them 

 at Deesa, where the soil is specially suited to their habits. 



Astata arjenteofacialis. — (Cam. Mem. Manch L. Ph. Soc. (4) ii, 1889, p. 151). 



This species, described from specimens from Barrackpore, was omitted by 

 Bingham in Vol. I of Hymenoptera. 



Astata qiiettce. — (Nurse, J, Bo. Nat, Hist. Soc. ,Vol. XIV., p. 92). 



When I described this species, I considered some males I had, though much 

 larger than the $ described, to belong to the same species. C n re-examina- 

 tion, however, I feel sure they belong to another species, and they are described 

 below as A. resoluta. 



Astata resoluta, n, sp. 



^. Clypeus and front with shallow punctures, the portion of the front 

 about the ocelli shining, almost im punctate ; mesonotum 6nely and closely 

 punctured at the base and at the sides, less closely on the disc ; base of scu- 

 tellum shining, impunctate, remainder of the segment closely punctured ; 

 median segment long, longitudinally striate and reticulate, its apex rounded; 

 abdomen minutely aciculate. Anterior ocellus rearly twice the size of the others, 

 no furrow on front ; abdomen short, about § the length of thorax and median 

 segment, apex of basal segment constricted, apices of the others depressed. 

 Black, covered with moderately dense white pubescence ; mandibles, except their 

 tips, apex of scape of antenuEe, apices of abdominal segments (frequently the 

 greater part of the abdomen), femora at apex, and the whole of the tibias and 

 tarsi red. Wings clear hyaline, nervures dark brown, tegulae testaceous ; 2nd 

 cubital cell at top 5 the length of 3rd, and less than half the space bounded bj 

 the recurrent nervures, which divide the 2nd cubital cell into three subequal 

 parts on the cubital nervure. 



Hab. — Quetta ; not uncommon. 



Length — 7 mm. 



Astata compta, n. sp. 



9. Clypeus and front moderately closely punctured, the portions rear —the 

 anterior ocellus and the margins of the eyes shining, with scattered punctures, 

 mesonotum, scutellum, and postscutellum closely punctured, except on the 

 disc of the two former, which are shining and more or less impunctate ; median 

 segment rather short, strongly longitudinally striate and reliculate, roundly 

 truncate at apex, the apical portion finely rugose ; abdomen smooth, shining. 

 Antennae pilose, the anterior ocellus scarcely larger than the others, the 

 portion of the front below it without a furrow ; abdomen nearly as Icng as 

 the thorax and median segment, the segments very slightly depreesed at apex • 



