TRYPOXYLOIf. 223 



inner orbits with a deep indentation or sinus ; front and vertex 

 often raised and produced in various ways, shield-shaped, strongly 

 convex, &c. ; ocelli three, complete, round ; pronotum on a level 

 with or depressed beneath the mesonotura ; median segment never 

 truncate posteriorly, usually with a more or less steep slope at 

 apex ; legs short, simple, or very feebly spined, intermediate tibiae 

 with one apical spur. Wings usually short in proportion to length 

 of body, the row of booklets on the costal margin of the posterior 



Fig. 56. — Trypoxylon : fore wing. 



wing interrupted in the middle ; fore wing with one radial cell not 

 truncate at apex nor appendiculate, and two cubital cells, but the 

 2nd almost obsolete, defiued by such faint nervures that it is 

 somewhat difficult to detect except in a strong light : abdomen 

 elongate, basal segment formed into a slender petiole, 2ud segment 

 petiolate at base, usually very slightly increasing in thickness 

 towards the apex, 3rd a little thicker, 4th and 5th subequal ; apical 

 sefjment in female conical acute, in male arched or truncate. 



The species of this genus construct their nests of clay, making 

 delicate little shells, granular on the outside and somewhat 

 lengthened in shape ; these they store with minute spiders as 

 food for their larvae. Home found their nests built on straws ; I 

 have only once found a nest so built. 



Trypoxylon pileatum, which is yerj common in Burma, usually 

 selects the folds of an unopened newspaper lying on the table in 

 the verandah, or the ends of a closed book, on which to construct its 

 fragile little nests. I have also seen T. hicolor carrying clay to an 

 old nail- or screw-hole in the walls or doors of the house. 



Key to the Species. 



A. Median segment with a medial longitudinal 

 furrow, and two lateral convergent furrows 

 enclosing a triangular space at base of seg- 

 ment. 



a. Head produced into a shield-shaped promi- 



nence on front T. pileatmn, p, 224. 



b. Front with a more or less marked furrow 



down the middle. 

 a'. Triangular space at base obscurely 



transversely striate T. intrudens, p. 224. 



h'. Triangular space at base smooth. 



d^. Medial furrow broad, transversely 

 striate, continued down to apex of 



segment T.canal{culatum,-p.22S. 



b^. Medial furrow comparatively nar- 

 rower, interrupted about middle 

 of the segment by a transverse 

 hollow T. buddha, p. 225. 



