AMERICAN HYMENOPTERA. 127 



Habitat. — Two 9 s, Florissant, Colorado, June 19, 1908 

 (Roh.); I Boulder, Colorado, June 1, 1908 (Ron.). 



This species is very close to M. nigrescens Roh., but the 

 third and fourth antennal joints are equal, and there is a furro 

 from the anterior ocellus. 



Tachytes minor n. sp. 



Male. — Length 7 mm. Anterior margin of the clypeus rounded 

 out, not dentate or emarginate, the lateral angles obtuse; not strongly 

 raised in the middle; rather coarsely granular. Front with distinct, 

 well separated punctures; a shining impressed line from lower ocellus 

 to between the insersition of the antennas. Interocellar area a little 

 more closely punctured than the front; parted by a distinct furrow. 

 Occiput seen from in front slightly depressed. Vertex not strongly 

 punctured, the medial furrow distinct. Space between the eyes at the 

 vertex a little greater than the length of antennal joints 3 and 4. 

 Antennal joints 3, 4, 5 and 6 about equal in length; apical joint about 

 the same length as the preceeding one, rather strongly tapering. 

 Thorax shining; the dorsulum sparsely punctured with rather small 

 punctures; scutellum similarly sculptured, not impressed; mesopleuras 

 sculptured like the dorsulum, with a distinct, elongate, transverse 

 fovea below wings; metanotum somewhat more closely punctured than 

 the dorsulum, the median furrow distinct, broadening into a narrow 

 fovea at the apex; metapleurae subtilly sculptured; posterior face 

 with a deep fovea broader above. Anterior coxae with a very short 

 spine at the apex of which is a long white bristle. Anterior femora at 

 the base beneath only slightly emarginate. Longer spur of hind tibia? 

 shorter than the basitarsus. Radial cell where joined by the cubitus 

 rather broader than usual, the appendiculation wanting. Abdomen 

 shining, very minutely punctured above; beneath with some large 

 punctures. Pygidium with rather sparse pubescence. Emargination 

 of the eight ventral plate deep, broadly circular; the lobes sharp, 

 sub triangular. Black; palpi brownish; mandibles (apices piceous) 

 and tegulse ferruginous; legs below knees reddish; spines whitish; 

 eyes (dry) greenish-brown. Wings clear hyaline, strongly iridescent; 

 venation ferruginous. Clypeus and front also legs beneath more or 

 less with silvery pubescence; thorax and abdomen with white hair. 



Habitat. — Tee Co., Texas, June 21, 1908 (G. Birkmann). 



This species look much like a Tachysphex, but the shape of 

 the ocelli and the hairy pygidium exclude it from that genus. 



It belongs to Section II and in Fox's table runs out at 3 

 because of the black abdomen and partly rufous legs. It is 

 somewhat related to parvus Fox, but the wings are clear 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC, XXXV. MARCH, 1909. 



