482 ISIr. F. Smith's descripiians of new gpccics 



Taken on the west coast of South Island, at Peel Forest, 

 and at Kelly's Creek. 



POMPILID^E. 



Priocncm is cuvformis. 



Female. — Length 4 lines. Head and thorax Llack, 

 abdomen ferruginous. The head covered with short, fine, 

 golden pubescence, which is most dense and briglit on the 

 face; the apicallialf of the mandibles ferruginous; the palj)i 

 pale ferruginous ; the anteniue black. Thorax covered 

 ■Nvith short, bright-golden pubescence ; the metathorax 

 rounded ; the coxfe, trochanters, and two apical joints of 

 the tarsi, black ; wings pale fulvo-hyaline, pale fuscous 

 from the stigma to the apex, the cloud crossing both wings ; 

 the nervurcs ferruginous towards the base and fuscous at 

 the apex of the wings. Abdouicn smooth and shining, 

 Avith the extreme base black. 



INIale. — leather smaller than the female, similar in colour 

 and pubescence, but more slender ; the fourth and follow- 

 iuo; segments black. 



Priocneniis moculipennis. 



Female. — Length 5 lines. Plead and thorax black, 

 abdomen and legs ferruginous. The front covered Avith 

 golden \n\c ; the anterior margin of the clyj)eus, the three 

 basal joints of the antennae, the paljn and mandibles, ferru- 

 ginous ; the palpi pale ; the base of the mandibles, and tips 

 of the joints of the antennre, black. The thorax covered 

 with short, decumbent, golden pubescence, usually more 

 or less abraded on the mesothorax, and thin and sparing 

 on the pectus; wings fid vo-hy aline, the nervures pale ferru- 

 ginous; the stigma black, from which a pale fuscous fascia 

 crosses the Avings to the middle of the third discoidal cell ; 

 the claAv-joint of the tarsi black ; the legs A^ery slightly 

 syjinose ; those on the posterior tibiie very short, fine and 

 placed in rows at the side of a slightly-raised longitudinal 

 carina. Abdomen smooth and shining. 



This insect, of which I have seen two examples, is very 

 like the common P. ferox, described by Fabricius, but 

 the metathorax is of a different form, being rounded, and 

 not swollen at the sides or so abruptly truncate ; tlie fascia 

 on the Avings, almost smooth legs, and black apical joint 

 of the tarsi, characterize more than a variety. 



Taken at Peel Forest. 



