NYSSONID^. 163 



/ellow spots on the abdomen, which has the basal ring yel- 

 lowish red in the female. 



The fourth subfamil}^ is the Nyssonince^ so named from Nys- 

 son, a typical genus. 



The genus Gorytes is truly a mimetic form, closely simulat- 

 ing the genus Od3^nerus, one of the Vesparioe. The front of 

 the head is narrow, while tlie clj'peus is larger than usual. The 

 species are numerous, occurring late in the summer on the 

 flowers of Spir;ea. Gorytes Jlavicornis Harris is polished russet 

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

 deum 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 Tettigonise living 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 the 

 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 skips ; 

 it is very active." (Westwood.) 



Oxybelus emarginatiis Say has two oval meml)ranous appen- 

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

 abundant!}' on the flowers of the Virginia Creeper. 



In Xyssori tlie body is a little longer, narrow compared with 

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

 Iiickened, flattened, and excavated beneath. JVysson lateralis 

 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 propodeum 

 has a faintly marked triangular enclosure. The species are 

 very rapacious, paralyzing grasshoppers and other large insects 

 with their formidable sting, and carrying them ott' to provision 

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

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

 thus stung. ]\Ir. 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. 



