INSECTA. 367 
Psammotherma Latr. Antenne (of males) bipectinate. 
Sp. Psammotherma flabellata, Cuv. R. Ani. éd. ill., Ins. Pl. 118, fig. 6. 
B. Thorax (in females) divided or nodose. Sub-genera: Me- 
thoca Larr. (male Tengyra Larr.), Myrmosa Larr., Myrmecoda 
ejusd. (male Thynwus, Scotend). 
Note.—That Tengyra is the male of Methoca was observed by VAN DER 
LIinvDEN, Ann. des Sc. natur. XVI. 1829, pp. 48, 49; on the others, comp. 
Westwoop, Introd. to Modern Classif. 11. p. 215. 
Genus Scleroderma Kuve. Is this its place ? 
Family XVII. Fossores s. Sphegina. Wings in both sexes 
obvious, expanded. Tarsus of posterior feet simple. Aculeate, soli- 
tary hymenoptera, (males and females alone). 
Diggers. This family consists principally of the genus Sphea 
(sand-wasp) of Linnaus. The females of most of the species dig 
in the ground nests for their young, and lay in these holes near 
their eggs insects or larvae, sometimes spiders, as food for their larvee 
when they leave the egg. The larve have no feet, resemble mag- 
gots, and spin themselves in, before changing into pups. The per- 
fect insect is usually very lively, and sucks with avidity the honey- 
sap of flowers, on which (especially on the Umbellifere) it is 
frequently met with. In many the lower jaws and under-lip are 
prolonged and form a rostrum ; the ligula however is not filiform, 
but commonly has a broad termination, 
Crabro Far. Prothorax very short, linear, transverse, remote 
from the origin of anterior wings. Feet short or of moderate length, 
Head large, quadrate above. Labrum concealed or scarcely exsert, 
transverse. Abdomen obovate, constricted or clavate at base, 
petiolate. Antenne often thicker towards the apex. 
Sub-genera: Cerceris Latr., Philanthus Fasr., Latr., Psen Latr., 
Jur. (Mimesa Suux.), Alyson Junie, Mellinus Fasr., Pemphredon 
Larr., Stigmus Jurine, Crabro Fasr., Gorytes Latr., Trypoxylon 
Latr., Fapr. 
Note.—Genus Crabro (in the stricter sense) is distinguished by antennz 
geniculate, mandibles bifid at apex, a single cubital cell alone complete, 
a radial cell appendiculate (another imperfect). LEPELETIER DE St. Far- 
GEAU divided it into several genera, of which for the sake of brevity I omit 
the names. See his Hist. nat. d. Hymén. ui. pp. 99, &e., and a critical 
revision by HErricH Scuarrer, Deutschl. Ins. Heft 179—181. Comp, 
also DanHLBom, Synops. Hymenopterol. Scandinav. 1. 
