NOTES OX ACULEATE HYMEXOPTERA. 97 



in the males. The first pair of white spots at the base of the 

 second segment are, however, frequently obliterated in the 

 females; in these individuals the posterior legs are some- 

 times entirely black. 



Pompilus pectinipes. This hitherto rare species is not 

 uncommon at Deal ; the female only was known when 

 Shuckard described the species under the name of P. crus- 

 sicornis. Both sexes are very much like those of P. gibbus, 

 the female being principally distinguished by the thickness 

 of the antenna} ; but possessing a series, other characters 

 present themselves, — the metathorax has a less deeply im- 

 pressed central channel, is Jess abruptly truncated, and is 

 always covered with a fine silky pile. The male has the 

 antennae proportionally longer than the same sex of P. gibbus, 

 and they are even more incrassate than in the female. 



Pompilus variabilis. I discovered an example of this 

 species mixed up with the series of P. rufipes in the collec- 

 tion at the British Museum ; the label attached bears a 

 number in red ink, forming part of a series of Hymenoptera, 

 I believe from South Wales. This I think highly probable, 

 it being a most abundant insect in most parts of Europe. It 

 occurs in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Saxony, 

 Sweden and Denmark. I have therefore little doubt that 

 future captures will confirm my opinion of its being an in- 

 digenous insect. 



Pompilus notatvs. We are indebted to Wesmael for 

 pointing out good and distinctive characters whereby to dis- 

 tinguish this species from P. exaltatus, which at first sight 

 it greatly resembles. Wesmael is the only Entomologist 

 who has described the female. I captured a single example 

 of this sex at Deal, last September ; there is also one in the 

 British Cabinet at the British Museum. The most obvious 

 distinction between the two species is, that that part of the 

 externo-medial nervure which crosses the base of the first 



1856 f 



