ODYNERUS. 361 



is sufficient to distinguish them ; it is even so striking that one 

 would be tempted to raise it to a genus, did there not exist, 

 principally in Europe and in Africa, a series of intermediate 

 types which allies them by very gradual and natural transitions 

 to the true Odyneri. These transitions are even so complete 

 that one is much perplexed to know how to limit the subgenus 

 Epiponus. 1 But as the intermediate types are principally inhabi- 

 tants of the old world, the difficulty with the American species is 

 much diminished, although it appears in the case of some Ante- 

 piponus. 



T he Epipon us seem to be peculiar to the boreal hemisphere and 

 to Africa ; the true Epiponus are the northern type, the Aute- 

 piponus the southern type, as well in America as in Europe. 



Division ANTEPIPONUS. 

 (Sauss. Et. Vespid., 111,244.) 



Mandibles of the males not notched, nor armed with a spur. 

 Antennae of the males either armed with a hook, or curled 

 up into a spiral at the extremity. First abdominal segment 

 cup-shaped, sessile or rather subpedunculate at base. As 

 said above, I at first placed this division in the subgenus 

 Odynertjs, but the appearance of its representatives bring 

 quite (hat of the Epiponus, it will better find its place in 

 this division. 



1. Antennae of the males terminated by a hook. (Sauss. Yesp., 



I, 213, Sect. C.) 



No representative yet found in America. 



2. Antennae terminated by a spiral curl. (Sauss. Yesp., I, 21(5, 



Sect. IP.) 



This section only differs from the true Epnponushj the mandi- 

 bles of the males being simple, and the clypeus not so much 



1 In my Etudes stir la Fain, des Vespides, I have included these transitory 

 species in the division Antepipona (III, 298), hut this division is only 

 an expedient to help in the determination of the species ; it is not a 

 natural division — no more than any section one must form in a continu- 

 ous series, conducting from one form to another hy gradual transitions. 

 (Comp. Et. Vespid., Vol. I, 213, C, and 216, II.— Ibid., Vol. Ill, 298.) 



