172 Mr. E. Saunders' Sy7io2)sis of 



as in V. vulgaris, and in having the sides of the 2nd 

 abdominal segment, and sometimes of the 1st, more 

 or less red ; this red colom- is not always present, but in 

 the $ is often very bright, and sometimes nearly covers 

 the 1st and 2nd segments. Length, <? 14 mm., ? 18 mm., 

 'i 12—13 mm. 



Hah. North of England, Scotland, near Norwich, 

 Devonshire, &c. 



Odynerus, Latr. 



Latr., Hist. Nat., vol. xiii., p. 346. 



This genus is so well marked that I need not make 

 many observations on its value. In colouring its species 

 resemble Eumenes, but the wide basal segment of the 

 abdomen will distinguish them at once : from Vespa, the 

 only other genus of the Diploiitera, the smaller and more 

 elongate form and the scarcity of the yellow markings 

 will serve at a glance to separate them, while the absence 

 of the second spine at the apex of the intermediate tibiae 

 is an excellent structural distinction. All the species are 

 black, with yellow apical bands to the abdominal seg- 

 ments, and there is such a general resemblance between 

 them that I have only pointed out their distinguishing 

 characters. 



The three sections pointed out by Wesmael are natural, 

 and have been generally recognised ; these I have given 

 in the table of species. There is now a 4th division, 

 Leiouotus, Sauss., but we have no English representative 

 of it ; several, however, occur in Sweden, and I have a 

 single specimen, without locality and without indication 

 of its captor, which belongs to this section. Without, 

 however, further proof of its being British, I refrain 

 from describing it. Still, I hope that some day further 

 captures may make it possible to add the species to our 

 list. 



One of the peculiarities of the species of this genus is 

 the transverse costate impression which traverses the 

 2nd abdominal segment beneath, near the base, and 

 on this peculiarity Thomson has formed some excellent 

 specific characters. 



