126 HYMENOPTERA. 



Under the heading P. viodestus I have provisionally placed 

 eleven forms previously described as species. Eight of 

 these were described from males, and three from females, 

 as follows : 



P. sparsa, female, described in 1869 by Cresson, as differ- 

 ing from affinis Sm. by, " punctures of head and thorax being 

 much more sparse, and by the subquadrate head": other- 

 wise agreeing with the description of a typical female of P. 

 modesties. The species that has been called affhiis in this 

 country does not differ from modestus in the female enough 

 to be easily distinguished, and in all probability the speci- 

 men described by Cresson is viodestus^ as this species is by 

 far the more common one. At any rate it is certainly one of 

 the two, according to the description, and comes in this group, 

 because the characters given above cannot be of any value in 

 diagnosis. It is also noticeable in this, as in most of the 

 other synonyms mentioned, that there is no record of the 

 " species " since it was first described, as no one could recog- 

 nize it. 



P. flammipes, female, was described in 1893 by Robertson, 

 from a Florida specimen. The description fits that of modes- 

 tus, except for the " first and base of second segments of 

 abdomen rufous ", which character is of no value unless 

 supported by others. Many specimens are found that have 

 various amounts of reddish color on the basal abdominal 

 segments, without regard to species. If the rufous tinge is 

 constant and accompanied by other characters the specimen 

 mentioned may represent a distinct species, but no indica- 

 tion of this is given, and there is every reason to believe that 

 it is only one of the forms of P. modesties. No one but 

 Robertson, apparently, has ever recognized it. 



P. floridana, female, was described by Robertson in 1893, 

 also from Florida. It was distinguished from P. affinis Sm. 

 "by somewhat smaller size, clearer wings, paler ornaments, 

 by having spots on face more elongate, and hind tarsi whitish 

 at base ". There is absolutely nothing in this to distinguish 

 it from modesties, so this is the only place for it, at least until 

 further characters are given. 



