Metopia. 225 



spots on abdomen. Head broader than thorax, flat behind. Frons 

 strongly conically protruding, so that the head is triangular in profile; 

 it is almost as long as high or a little higher. Frons broad and of the 

 same or about the same breadth in both sexes. Jowls narrow. In 

 both sexes smaller or larger ocellar bristles, inner and outer verticaL 

 and two orbital bristles. Behind postocular bristles black hairs. 

 Frontal bristles stretching below the insertion of antennæ or a little 

 longer down; oiitwards to the iipper frontals two or three reclinate 

 bristles in both sexes. Cheeks with a row of bristles along the inner 

 margin. Vibrissal ridges not bending inwards; a large vibrissa present 

 and above it a few smaller vibrissæ. Epistoma strongly retreating. 

 Oral cone and proboscis short; clypeus horse-shoe-shaped. Palpi 

 slightly dilated apically. Antennæ inserted a little above middle of 

 the eye, basal joints short, third long, linear, six times as long as 

 second; arista bare, second joint short. Thorax rectangular; three 

 postsutural dorsocentrals; acrostichals varying from well developed 

 to quite wanting; a small præsutural intraalar bristle often present. 

 Scutellum with three marginal bristles on each side. Two sterno- 

 pleural bristles. Pteropleura with a bunch of bristly hairs above. 

 Abdomen elongated conical, excavation on second segment only 

 present at base; abdomen has marginal bristles, on second segment 

 a pair. Genitalia small. Legs somewhat short; middle tibiæ with or 

 without ventral bristle in both sexes; hind tibiæ with a not dense 

 row of unequal anterodorsal and a less complete row of posterodorsal 

 bristles, and with only one ventral bristle. Claws and pulvilli small. 

 Wings with first posterior cell open, ending well before apex of wing; 

 discai angle rectangular or about, with a veinlet or fold; cubital vein 

 with bristles to or near to medial cross-vein; no costal spine. 



The species live as larvæ in the same way as Miltogramma in 

 nests of burrowing bees and fossorial wasps, and the species occur 

 in similar piaces, but also on less sandy localities. They seem to be 

 viviparous as larvæ sometimes have passed from needdled females. 



Of the genus about a dozen European species are recorded, twa 

 occur in Denmark. 



Table of Species. 



1. Frons in male normal, frontal stripe in both sexes about 

 double as broad as orbits; fourth abdominal segment in 

 female with a row of marginal bristles; middle tibiæ with 

 ventral bristle 1. campestris. 



■ — Frons in male with a glistening silvery plate, formed of 



