148 POMPILID^. 



Type, P. fnsciis, Linnaeus. 



Kawje. Both hemispheres. 



Form of the clypeus, pronotuni, and median segment very 

 variable. Fore A^-ing with three cubital cells, the 2ud and 3rd as 

 a rule subequal, both cubital and discoidal nervures stopping short 

 of the margin of the wing ; anterior tibiae and tarsi ciliated on the 

 outside, intermediate and posterior tibiae and tarsi spinose, the 

 tibia; never serrate, claws unidentate at base below, sometimes 

 bifid. Nesting in the ground, in burroAvs made by the female ; 

 the usual provision for the larvje consists of spiders, but I have 

 seen one species carrying small cockroaches to its nest. 



Key to the Species. 



A. Wing-8 more or less hyaline. 



a. Wings entirely hyaline. 



a . Abdomen beyond 2nd segment ferruginous 



red P. analis, p. 150. 



b'. Abdomen with basal three segments ferru- 

 ginous red P. zeus, p. 150. 



c'. Abdomen grey and black P. wroughtoni, 



b. Basal half only of wing hyaline. [p. 151. 

 a'. Thorax red and black. 



a~. Pro- and mesonotum red P. cameronii, p. 170. 



b~. Pronotum only red P. circe, p. 170. 



b' . Thorax entirely black. 



a^. Abdomen with grey pruinose bands .... P. ilus, p. 171. 



i". Abdomen deep purplish black, without [p. 171. 



bands P. dhnidiatijjenms, 



C-. Abdomen with basal three segments fer- [p. 151. 



ruginous red P. fenestrates, 



c. Wings hyaline, with apical margin fuscous. 



a . Head and thorax black; abdomen entirely 



ferruginous red P. acceptus, p. 151. 



b'. Head, thorax, and abdomen black, with 

 yellow or white markings. 

 a^. Posterior tibiae black. 



a^. Median segment with white or silvery 



pile P. arrof/cins, p. 152. 



b^. Median segment with blue pile P. decorattis, p. 152. 



P. Posterior tibiae ferruginous. 



a^. Fifth abdominal segment with a yellow [p. 153. 



fascia above P. vagabundus, 



P. Fifth abdominal segment without any 



fascia P. cajnfosus, p. 153. 



c'. Head, thorax, and abdomen entirely black. 



«^. Apex of median seg-ment emarginate. ... P. hecate, p. 171. 

 6^. Apex of median segment rounded. 



a^. Third cubital cell of fore wing petiolate. P. viva.r, p. 154. 

 b^. Third cubital cell of fore wing not 

 petiolate. 

 rt*. Median segment transversely striate 



above P. mirandus, p. 172. 



6*. Median segment smooth above. 



a'. Median segment with a medial [p. 154. 



longitudinal furrow above .... P. subsericeus, 

 b^. Median segment not furrowed. ... P. herbigradus, 



[p. 155. 



