SPHECIDyE. 123 



Common in many sandy places and generally distributed ; 

 enjoys the hottest sunshine. Will fly up suddenly and 

 settle again facing the observer, the silvery hairs of its 

 face shining brightly in the sun. 



0. mandibularis, Baldh. — Closely allied to nniglumis, 

 but distinguished by the pale mandibles, the much stronger 

 and more scattered puncturation of the abdominal segments, 

 and the distinct yellow colour of the spots, which in the ? 

 as well as the S are only present on the basal segments ; 

 the (J has also the antennje densely clothed with white 

 hairs, so that they look as if they were frosted over ; the 

 tubercles and a spot on each side of the pronotal collar 

 flavous ; tibife flavous, more or less reddish towards the 

 apex, first and second pairs with a posterior streak, third 

 pair with a broad sub-apical band, black. 



L. 6-9 mm. 



Although very distinct, this may possibly be mixed in 

 some collections with the preceding. 



Rare. I have taken c? and ? at Hayling Island ; ? at 

 Bournemouth ; and I take males on one particular spot on 

 Woking Common, but have not met with a ? there. 

 Appledore, Devon ; [Dale). S and ? , Saunton, N. Devon ; 

 (Swide). Norwich; (BriJgman). 



0. nigripes, Oliv. — $ somewhat like mandilnilaris, but 

 with the head and mesonotum decidedly wider, the entire 

 insect less shining and much more closely punctured, the 

 abdomen especially so, its surface clothed with very short 

 hairs, first and second segments spotted; the propodeal 

 spine emarginate at the apex ; the tibisc of the posterior 

 pairs of legs black, with only the base pale, the tarsi dusky, 

 posterior tibia) very spinose. 



L. 8-9 mm. 



I have only seen one example of this, which was taken by 

 Mr. Stevens in Devonshire and described by Smith. This 

 has been kiinlly knt to me by Dr. P. B. Mason. 



0. mucrOUatUS, Fnhr. {unjcidatus. Curt., faux, Shuck.). 



