44 HYMENOPTERA ACULEATA. 



(6) 5. IntenneiUate tibiffi with one long spur ; iuter- 



mediate coxaa remote TiPHUD^. 



(5) 6. Intermediate tibias with two long spurs ; inter- 

 mediate coxiB contiguous .... PompilidjE. 



MUTILLIDiE. 



$ winged in our British species, $ apterous, eighth 

 dorsalsegment of the $ bearing penicilli — (I have not, how- 

 ever, been able to test Methoca as to this character) — but 

 in that genus the <? has the eighth ventral segment pro- 

 duced into an upturned process. Probably all the members 

 of this family are parasitic, but their habits are very 

 little known. Mutilla europcca has been frequently found 

 in the nests of Bomhws. I have placed Myrmosa and Mcfhoca 

 in this family instead of in the Scoliidce, where Thomson 

 places them, as the structure of the ^ apical segments, and 

 the apterous condition of the ? seem to me to relate them 

 herewith. We have three British genera, which are easily 

 distinguishable. 



(2) 1. Intermediate coxfe distant, ? without ocelli . Mutilla. 

 (1) 2. Intermediate coxk contiguous, ? with ocelli. 



(4) 3. cJ eighth ventral valve simple, ? thorax with 

 scarcely noticeable constrictions, much shorter 

 than the abdomen ...... Myrmosa. 



(3) 4. (J eighth ventral valve with an apical upturned 



process, $ thorax very long and narrow, with 

 two distinct constrictions, nearly as long as 

 the abdomen Methoca. 



MUTILLA, Linn. 



Of this very extensive genus, which extends over nearly 

 the whole globe, we have only two representatives. The c? 

 is winged and the ? apterous in our British species and in 

 almost all the others, but there are a few curious exceptions 

 to the rule among the S. European species, and jDrobably 

 also among the exotics. In the exceptions which I am 

 acquainted with the S closely resembles the ? , but the 



