NYSSONID.E. 16" 



cellow spots on the altdomeii, which lias the liasal ring yel- 

 lowish red in the female. 



The fourth subfamily is the Ni/ssonincp, so named from Nys- 

 son, a typical genus. 



The genus Gorytes is trul^' a mimetic form, closely simulat- 

 ing the genus Odynerus, one of the Vesjiciricp . The front of 

 the head is narrow, while the cl^-peus is larger than usual. The 

 species are numerous, occurring late in the summer on the 

 flowers of Spinea. Gorytes Jiavicornis Harris is polished russet 

 brown, with narrow yellow rings on the abdomen, the propo- 

 deura is smooth and polished, and the basal ring of the abdomen 

 is black. A species has been observed in Europe protruding 

 her sting into the frothy secretion of Tettigonisie liAing on 

 grass, and carrying off the insect to provision its nest with. 



Oxybelus is a short, stout, black genus, with whitish abdomi- 

 nal spots, and stout spines on the thorax, while the sessile 

 abdomen is distinctly conical. "Its prey consists of Diptera. 

 which it has a. peculiar mode of carrying by the hind legs thr^ 

 while it either opens the aperture of its burrow or else forms a 

 new one with its anterior pair. Its flight is low, and in skii)s ; 

 it is very active." (AVestwood.) 



Oxybelus emarginahfs Say has two oval membranous appen- 

 dages to the metathorax, and is a common black species found 

 abundantly on the flowers of the Virginia Creeper. 



In Nysson the body is a little longer, narrow compared with 

 Miat of Oxybelus, while the terminal joint of the antennaj is 

 Jiickened, flattened, and excavated beneath. Nysson laferah's 

 Say is dull black, with six light spots on the abdomen. 



The species of Stizus are of large size and easily recognized 

 by their hirsute body, stout legs, triangular silvery clypeus. 

 and the high transverse vertex of the head. The propodeuni 

 has a faintly marked triangular enclosure. The species are 

 very rapacious, paralyzing grasshoppers and other large insects 

 with their formidable sting, and carrying them off" to provision 

 their nests. Professor S. Tenney has sent us a specimen of 

 the Dog-day Cicada (C. canicularis) which Stizus sjyeciosus had 

 thus stung. Mr. Atkinson has observed the same fact, and has 

 found the deep burrows of this species, the hole being three- 

 fourths of an inch in diameter. He has observed it feeding on 

 sap running from a tree. 



