116 Psyche [October 



includes several other zoological regions. Indeed, the genus 

 Aporinellus as defined above, agrees with Kohl's "Group 14 of 

 Pompilus Fabricius"^ and this identity was recognized by Sustera.^ 

 Psammochares sexmaculatus (Spinola) of which I have seen a 9 

 from Corsica in Mr. Banks' collection, has the same structure of 

 the propodeum as Aporinellus, but differs in the presence of a 

 third, petiolate cubital cell in the fore wings; similar forms are 

 apparently not known from the Nearctic Region. 



Several of the species of Aporinellus have originally been de- 

 scribed as Aporus. As shown by Banks the true Aporus Spinola is 

 structurally very dififerent and has thus far not been found in 

 North America. I have examined two palearctic species, Aporus 

 unicolor Spinola (the genotype) and A. dubius Van der Linden; 

 in these the propodeum is not or scarcely emarginate behind and 

 its lateral angles are not produced; the fore wings have two cubital 

 cells and the transverse median ends on the media far beyond the 

 basal. As suggested by Kohl, Aporus Spinola is more closely 

 related to typical Psammochares Latreille {Pompilus Fabricius) 

 with three cubital cells, from which it evidently has been derived. 

 According to Banks, the true Aporus is also structurally close to 

 the North American Psammochares marginatus (Say). On the 

 other hand, Ashmead's genus Aporus^ evidently possesses all the 

 characteristics of Aporinellus Banks which are, however, not pres- 

 ent in Aporus unicolor Spinola. 



The wasps of the genus Aporinellus are not frequently met with ; 

 they are usually found while running about in search of their prey 

 and seldom visit flowers. The nesting habits are only known of 

 A. fasciatus, which was studied in Wisconsin by G. W. and E. G. 

 Peckham.* The ethology of this wasp agrees with that exhibited 

 by most Psammocharids. The prey consists of spiders belonging 

 to various genera (Phidippus, Alius, Mcevia) of the family Attidse. 

 The female first captures her spider which is slightly paralyzed, 

 dragged to the nesting site and temporarily deposited on a leaf. 

 She then makes a careful study of the locality to discover a suitable 

 spot for her burrow. Often several burrows are started and aban- 

 doned before the final choice is made. "The one habit that this 



iVerh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien 34, 1884, p. 54. 



^Ihid. 62, 1912, p. 212. 



'Canadian Entom. 34, 1902, p. 87. 



< Wisconsin Geol. Nat. Hist. Survey Bull. No. 2, 1898, pp. 55-57. 



