SPHEX. 



251 



8phex ferox, Stnith, Jour. Linn. Soc. 18i 2, p. 55, J. 

 Sphex lepeletierii, Sauss. Novara-Iteise, Hym. p. 40, § . 

 8phex godeffroyi, Sauss. Stettin, ent. Zeit. xxx (18tii)), p. 57, $ . 

 Sphex aurifex, Smith, Cruise Cura<;oa, Brenchley, p. 460, 5, pi. 44, 

 tig. 3. 



5 S . Head densely pruinose aud pubescent, the pubescence 

 long, soft, aud rather sparse ; pro- aud mesouotum densely pruinose, 

 scutelluui and postscutellum bare ; median segment thinly pruinose 

 aud pubescent ; legs and abdomen bare, smooth, and shining ; 

 clypeus slightly convex, its anterior margin rounded, thickly pubes- 

 cent on the sides, with a subtriaiigular bare space in the middle 

 anteriorly ; scutellum and postscutellum notched in the middle ; 

 median segment long, with transverse ridges, posteriorly rounded 

 and abruptly sloped at apex ; legs long, the tibiae and tarsi 

 spinose ; petiole of the abdomen rather short, remaining segments 

 broadly subfusiform, the apical tv\o lightly punctured abo\'e, the 

 whole of the abdomen smooth and shining. Head and thorax 

 variegated with red and black ; the legs, the petiole, and basal one 

 or two joints of the abdomen red ; the head aiid thorax covered 

 with dense ferruginous-red pile and sparse pubescence of the same 

 colour ; the apical segments of the abdomen black ; wings hyaline, 

 broadly fuscescent at apex, uervures testaceous, tegulae red. A 

 very variable insect. 



Var. ferrugineus, Lepel., has the whole head, thorax, femora, 

 tibiae, and basal joints of tarsi red ; the abdomen black and 

 shining ; and the dense silky pile and soft sparse pubescence on the 

 head and thorax of a rich golden ferruginous colour. 



Var. lineolus, Lepel., has the head, thorax, legs, and petiole of 

 the abdomen, except at apex, black, aud the remaining segments 

 of the abdomen dark red with black markings above ; the pubes- 

 cence on the head and thorax is silvery white. 



These are the two commonest varieties of the insect found in 

 India. 



Ifah. India ; Burma ; Tenasserim ; Ceylon ; China ; and the 

 Malayan subregions as far as IVorth Australia. § . Lemjt.h 20- 

 28 ; exp. 39-48 mm. 6 • Length 18-26 ; exp. 40-46 mm. 



471. Sphex edax, n. sp. 



5 . Head smooth and shining, finely and sparingly punctured, 

 square above, and broader than the thorax, with the cheeks behind 

 the eyes well developed ; clypeus subtriangular, somewhat porrect, 

 its anterior margin arched : front slightly concave, vei'tex very 

 slightly arched, almost flat, with a shallow abbreviated sulcation 

 behind the ocelli ; the sides of the face and the clypeus densely 

 pilose ; pro- and mesonotum, scutellum and postscutellum finely 

 and sparsely punctured ; median segment massive, long, rounded 

 posteriorly, pubescent, shining, and finely and closely punctured, its 

 apex steeply sloped ; legs very stout, the femora and tibia? massive 

 and broad, the tibiae and the tarsi studded with thick short spiues ; 

 petiole of the abdomen of medium length, stout, and scarcely 



