HYMENOPTERA. 253 



This may possibly be the Pepsis albifrons of Fabricius, but 

 the description only points out the dark base of the wings, 

 whereas the apex is dark also. The Sphex argentifrons of St. 

 Fargeau is the female, in which sex the raetathorax is more di- 

 stinctly striated than in the male : the species has a wide geo- 

 graphical range. 



53. Sphex vicina. B.M. 

 Sphex vicina, St. Farg. Hym. iii. 343. 16. 



Hab. India. 



54. Sphex Fabricii. B.M. 

 Sphex Fabricii, Dahlb. Hym. Europ. i. 2/. 11 & 438. 21. 



Hab. India; Tranquebar. 



55. Sphex ferruginea. B.M. 

 Sphex ferruginea, St. Farg. Hym. iii. 345. 18. 



Hab. India. 



Amongst a number of specimens of this species from the 

 Philippine Islands and others from Ceylon, some have the abdo- 

 men entirely black; this variety is probably the Sphex sericea of 

 Fabricius. 



56. Sphex flavo-vestita. B.M. 



Male. Length 12 lines.— Black : the head thinly covered with 

 yellow pubescence, the face densely clothed with golden pubes- 

 cence ; the mandibles ferruginous, their base and apex black ; 

 the apical joints of the palpi ferruginous, one or two of the basal 

 ones fuscous. Thorax thickly clothed with yellow pubescence ; 

 the prothorax above, the sides of the disk of the mesothorax, 

 and the apex of the metathorax, densely covered with golden 

 pubescence; the anterior coxae and femora beneath are also 

 covered with golden pubescence; the anterior femora, except 

 their base, and all the tibiae, tarsi and knees pale ferruginous ; 

 the apex of the claw-joint and the claws black ; the wings yellow- 

 ish-hyaline, the nervures pale ferruginous, the costal and post- 

 costal nervures fuscous. Abdomen black with a blue tinge, and 

 covered with a fine silky yellow pile. 



Hab. India. 



57. Sphex apicalis. ' B.M. 



Female. Length 13 lines. — Black : the pubescence on the 

 head and thorax black, most dense on the face and cheeks ; the 



