6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 6T 



the hind tarsi distinctly paler; wings hyaline, veins dark, stigma pale. 

 First tergite with a median black stripe, broadened on postpetiole, 

 not reaching apex; second tergite black with the apex broadly and a 

 lunate mark on each side nearly surrounding the spiracle pale, the 

 apical band partly interrupted on each side by an abrupt offshoot 

 from the black; third tergite black basally, pale apically, with a pale 

 spiracular spot; fourth to seventh black basally, pale apically, more 

 broadly so at sides; eighth black medially pale laterally. 



Male. — Like female, but with sculpture stronger, antennal annulus 

 embracing flagellar joints 9-16; first abdominal segment black ven- 

 trally, and coxae paler above with a narrow blackish line. 



Type-locality. — Cabin John, Md. 



Type.— Cat. No. 27683, U.S.N.M. 



Described from 11 females and 16 males; the type taken by G. N. 

 Colhns; 3 other females and 2 males from the type-locality (R. M. 

 Fonts) ; 1 male. Chain Bridge, Va. (W. Middleton) ; 1 female, Rosslyn, 

 Va. (H. H. Smith) ; 1 male (allot}T)e) , Falls Church, Va. (Frederick 

 Knab) ; 1 female, Glencarlyn, Va. (S. A. Rohwer) ; 1 male, Dixie 

 Landing, Va,; 1 female, Virginia; 1 male, Washington, D. C. (R. M. 

 Fonts); 1 male, District of Columbia; 1 female, Coosa River, Chilton 

 county, Ala. (H. H. Smith) ; 1 female, Coleta, Ala. (H. H. Smith) ; 

 1 female and 4 males, Pysiton, Clay county, Ala. (H. H. Smith) ; 1 

 male, Longdale, Chambers county, Ala. (H. H. Smith); 3 males, 

 Paradise Key, Fla. (C. A. Mosier) ; 1 female, Blount county, Tenn.; 

 and 1 female, Dallas, Tex. (F. C. Bishopp), 



This series shows considerable variation. The type is about 

 average in size, the variation being about two milhmeters in each 

 direction. The sculpture of the apical slope of the propodeum varies 

 from nearly smooth to mostly rugose, with sometimes a rather dis- 

 tinctly defined narrow median longitudinal area. Some of the 

 females have the petiole black beneath as in the allotype, while many 

 of the males lack the spiracular white spot on the third tergite. 



Genus BRACHYCRYPTUS Thomson 



The species described below is not entirely typical of the genus, 

 differing from Thomson's description as follows : mesoscutum rather 

 strongly dechvous anteriorly; nervellus reclivous, broken at or above 

 the middle; hind tibia distinctly longer than femur; pulvilli small. 

 It is also considerably larger than either of Thomson's three species, 

 though smaller than simplex (Tschek), which was subsequently 

 referred to the genus by Schmiedeknecht ; and has the abdomen red 

 only narrowly at the apices of the first two tergites. If it does not 

 belong to this genus it can not be referred to any described genus 

 and I prefer to place it here rather than add to an already too long 

 list of almost meaningless generic groups. 



