AKT. DIGGER WASPS OF GENUS PODALONIA FERNALD 17 



PODALONIA QUADRIDENTATA (Cameron^ 



Ammophila qaadridsntata Cameron, Biol. Ceatr.-Amer., H\'m., vol. 2, p. 23, 



188S. Female. 

 Ammophila qiiadridentata (Cameron) Fox, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., ser. 2, vol. 4, p. 



102, 1894, 

 Ammophila (Psammophila) quadridentata (Ca^vaeron) Melander, Psyche, vol.10, 



pp. 158, 162, 1903. Female. 



Very similar to valida but with strongly fuliginous wings; a very 

 darkly ferruginous abdomen without black at tip and with no tubercle 

 or tooth on the fore coxa. In one or two cases I have thought that 

 the surface near where this tooth should be was somewhat swollen, 

 but with no actual tooth, long or short, present. 



No male which would belong to this species has as yet been found 

 or, at least, recognized. 



Length. — 22-24 mm. 



Distrihution. — The type came from Ventenas, Mexico, 2,000 feet. 

 I have seen two other specimens, one from "Mexico," the other from 

 San Marcos, Nicaragua (Coll. Baker). Fox's specimen was from 

 "west side of El Taste," Lower California, which would be not so 

 very different in climatic conditions, perhaps, if the altitude be taken 

 into consideration, but it may have been a dark specimen of valida 

 instead, the presence and significance of the coxal tooth not having 

 been known at that time. 



Type. — Cameron's type, so labeled in his writing and also bearing 

 a printed type label, is in the British Museum. 



For a long time I considered this insect as nothing more than a 

 subspecies or even a variety of valida, but the absence of the coxal 

 tooth leads me to hold it for the present as a separate species, often 

 approximated to by suffused specimens of the other, which, how- 

 ever, have the tooth. 



PODALONIA NICHOLl (Carter) 



f Ammophila morrisoni Cameron, Biol. Centr.-Amer., Hym., vol. 2, p. 21, 1888. 



Male. 

 Psammophila nicholi Carter, Ent. News, vol. 35, p. 366, 1924. Female. 



Head, thorax, petiole and parts of legs black; remainder generally 

 bright red rather than ferruginous; hairs mostly white. A very dis- 

 tinct species. 



Female. — HeacT: Broad; clypeus swollen except marginally, its 

 anterior margin rounded, truncate on central half, with a small 

 tooth at outer end of truncation where the margin begins to curve 

 backward to the base of the mandible; clypeal surface and lower 

 part of frons, particularly at the sides, silvery pubescent and with 

 long hairs which may be almost golden; entire surface of head punc- 

 tured, though not closely nor very coarsely; antennae black or piceous 

 30335— 27t 3 



