334 



EUMENID^. 



the middle of the face ; clypeus of variable shape, generally 

 pyriforiii or subpyriform and longer than broad ; mandibles hmg, 

 flat, pointed, forming by their junction a more or less acute beak, 

 or crossing one over the other ; maxillary palpi with six, labial 



Fig. 92. — Eti,menes petiolata, §. 



Fig. 93. — Eumencs 

 petiolata, (^ . Head 

 and antenna. 



palpi with four joints. Thorax a little longer than broad, sub- 

 globose ; median segment short, nearly vertical, divided medially 

 bj a broad and at apex deep groove ; legs slender, the apex of 

 posterior pair not reaching the apex of the abdomen. Wings — the 

 radial cell of the fore wing reaching well out towards the apex of 

 the wing, the 1st cubital cell on the cubital nervure equal to or 

 longer than the 2ud and 3rd united ; the 2nd strongly narrowed 

 towards the top; the 2nd transverse cubital nervure oblique, 

 waved ; the cubital nervure extended to the margin of the wing. 

 Abdomen — the 1st segment extremely narrowed, forming a 

 lengthened petiole ; the 2nd sometimes narrowed at base ; the 2nd 

 and follov^ing segments united, pyriform. 



Most if not all of the species of this genus make little rounded 

 cells of clay for nests, provisioning these with caterpillars as food 

 for their larvae. Eumenes conica, flavopicta, and arcuata are very 

 bold insects, coming into houses and constructing their nests on 

 the walls, against the punkah, on the legs and bottom of chairs, 

 tables, &c., and permitting close inspection of their nest-building 

 operations without showing any alarm or irritation. 



Key to the Species. 



A. Median segment oblique, not vertical, 

 grooved down the middle, the groove 

 not broadened below. 

 a. Apex of median segment quadridentate. 

 «'. Petiole shorter or equal to the thorax 

 and median segment united. 

 a^. Colours black and yellow, petiole of [p. 336. 



abdomen sometimes ferruginous . . E. quadrispinosa, 

 IP'. Colours ferruginous red and yellow . E. brevirostrata, p. 337. 

 b'. Petiole distinctly longer than thorax 



and median segment united E. depressa, p. 337. 



