386 TESPID^. 



Head flat, the clypeus pentagonal, the apex obtuse ; eyes pro- 

 portionately small, below not reaching 

 the base of the mandibles ; the inner 

 orbits with a wide eraargination or 

 sinus ; antenna) short, the flagellum 

 slightl)' thickened beyond the basal 

 portion of the second joint ; ocelli 

 small, complete, round, placed in a 

 triangle on the vertex. Thorax deep ; 

 the prothorax square in front ; the 

 Pig. 117. scutellum and postscutellum rather 



Icaria guttatipennis, $. f. prominent ; the median segment 

 depressed almost vertically beneath 

 the postscutellum : legs stout, long ; the tibiae smooth ; the inter- 

 mediate pair with two spines at apex : the claws simple. Wings 

 moderately long, fore wing with the radial cell very broadly sub- 

 triangular ; three complete cubital cells, the 1st large, larger than 

 the 2nd and 3rd united, the 2nd very small, the 3rd often broader 

 at apex than at base ; the 2nd cubital cell receives both recurrent 

 nervures. Abdomen : the 1st segment narrowed into a petiole, 

 linear at base, curved, and then swollen at apex ; the 2nd segment 

 very large, bell-shaped, the 3rd and following segments folding 

 into it telescope fashion. In one species the 2nd abdominal 

 segment has its apical margin studded with spines. 



The wasps belonging to this genus make, as a rule, small nests 

 of from 5 or 6 to 40 cells, attached by a strong stout pedicel to 

 twigs, the underside of leaA^es, rocks, walls of houses ; and once 

 I found a nest commenced on the corner of a pane of glass in 

 a window ; unfortunately, for some reason or other, the wasp 

 (J. variegata) deserted this after completing only two cells. 



Key to the Species. 



A. Eeddish or fen-uginous brown, with yellow 

 markings. 

 a. Second abdominal segment with no trans- 

 verse yellow band on its apical ma'-gin . I. guttatipennis, p. 387. 

 h. Second abdominal segment with its apical 



half yellow I.ferruginea, p. 387. 



c. Second abdominal segment with a naiTOw 

 yellow band on its apical margin above. 

 a' . Base of 2nd abdominal segment without 



lateral yellow spots I. marginata, p. 388. 



b'. A yellow spot on each side at base of 

 2nd abdominal segment. 

 a~. Petiole of abdomen swollen aud 



globular above near apex I. variegata, p. 388. 



b^. Petiole of abdomen not swollen and 



globular above near apex 1. artifex, p. 389. 



B. Black, with red or yellow markings. 

 a. Black, with petiole of abdomen red. 



