NO. 1487. NORTH AMEnrCAX DinaER WASPS— FERN ALT). 293 



mation of several new genera among the descendants of the original 

 one. But while coniiocting links l)etween these groups are still in 

 existence it would hardly seem safe to rate these groups as f uU-iiedged 

 genera, and for the present they should be regarded as of only sub- 

 generic rank. For this reason the groups termed genera b}^ Ashmead 

 are here regarded as subgenera included in the genus Sphex^ the only 

 genus of the subfamily Sphecina?. 



The genus Sphex was established by Linnn?us in 1758, with twenty- 

 five species. With the advance of entomological knowledge it soon 

 became evident that many of these species had no close relationship, 

 and they have gradually been withdrawn from SpJiex and placed else- 

 where. In fact this has been too well done, for at the end of the year 

 1805 not one of the original .species of the genus was left, but instead 

 an accumulation of otlier insects had been substituted, none of which 

 had any right to be there ac(;ording to the rules of nomenclature. 



During the latter part of the eighteenth centur}^, then, the genus 

 Sphex was suffering from too nuich addition and subtraction, and the 

 final result was that during almost the whole of the nineteenth centur}^ 

 the name Sphex was applied to a group of insects not one of which 

 was the same or even as much as congeneric with an}' of the species 

 for which the genus was established. 



From this it is evident that Spliex^ as the name has been used during 

 the last century, does not apply to the insects Linnanis intended — a 

 condition in direct violation of that part of liulc 30 of the International 

 Code of Zoological Nomenclature which saysj '''' \\\ no case, however, 

 can the name of the original genus be transferred to a group contain- 

 ing none of the species originally' included in the genus; nor can a 

 species be selected as type which was not originally included in the 

 genus." Consequently not onl}' must the insects generally called 

 Sphex during the past century give up this generic name, but some 

 one of the original twentj^-five described as Sphex must now resume 

 it, together with all species with which it is congeneric. 



In selecting the type of the genus Sphex as the next step which 

 must follow we are no longer guided by any laws, but onlv b}' recom- 

 mendations of the Code. As these represent a weighty consensus of 

 opinion, however, it would seem desirable to follow them, if possible. 

 The first and second recommendations under Rule 30 do not have any 

 application in this case. The third directs, first, the exclusion from 

 consideration of all species exotic from the standpoint of the author. 

 This would leave eighteen species as possible types. The recommenda- 

 tion, then, is to reject " all species which have already been transferred^ 

 to other genera. The type is then selected from the species which 

 remain." In the present case, unfortunately, no species remain, all 

 having been transferred to other genei'a; but if this method wei'e to 

 be applied and the last species {pectin /jx-^) thus eliminated were to be 



