1906.] 81 



are lorip, but, viewed dorsnlh/, not very broad. As mentioned in my 

 last paper, they are very nearly related <o Cri/pfocampus, which they 

 resemble both in habits and general appearance. Tn fact, though 

 easily separated from that genua by the different wing-neuration, they 

 really stand much nearer to it on the whole than to several of the 

 genera with which in that particular respect they agree. 



Their specific determination is not easy, the really reliable cha- 

 racters being few and minute, and the coloration often variable. A 

 great many species have been described by various authors (generally 

 on more or less untrustworthy colour characters), but the number of 

 really distinct and constant forms among them is probably much more 

 limited. The genus was revised by Konow in 1901, and the following 

 Synoptic Table adopts his views as to the correct nomenclature and 

 distinguishing characters of such species as occur in this country. As 

 will be seen from the synonyms in brackets he " sinks " a good many 

 of the forms described by Mr. Cameron. On the other hand he revives 

 one name (femornlU, Cam.), which Mr. Cameron introduced, but 

 afterwards withdrew under the impression that his species was identi- 

 cal with one previously described by Thomson. 



SYNOPTIC TABLE OF BRITISH PONTANIA spp. 



1. Scutellum more or less elevated, and distinctly punctured 2. 



— Scutellum flat, and practically impunctate 5. 



2. Abdomen entirely luteous (or nearly so) 3. 



— Abdomen black above, luteous beneath. Legs pale. Breast black... 



sootaftpis, Forst. 



3. Head (except lower part of face and a mark behind each eye) and thorax for the 



most part black hipartita, Lap. 



(? aurantiacus, C). 



— Head luteous (except a black vertical mark including the ocelli and the area 



behind them). Thorax with little black, except on the meso- and metanotum 



and scutellum xantliogastra, Forst. 



(? hipartitus, C). 



5. Hind calcaria long and evidently curved. Body black, pale at apex below. Saw- 



sheath of ? (in lateral view) sharply acuminate leucosticta, Htg, 



— Hind calcaria straight , 6. 



6. Antennae of ^ not compressed, thin, nearly filiform, about as long as the body. 



Saw-sheath of ? produced (in lateral view) into a long sharp point... 



viminalis, Htg. 



= ischnocerus, Thorns., nee C. 



(Jeucostigma, nigrolineatus, purpureas, ? hridgmanii* ? alienatus, C). 



— Antennse of <? compressed, setiform, shorter than body. Saw-sheath of ? 



rounded, or, at most, angulated at apex (viewed laterally) 7. 



* The description of bridgmanii is mysterious. The ovipositor is described first as " short," 

 and then as " much longer than that of herbacece," which latter is elsewhere said to be " certainly 

 longer than in any of the other species. " 



