Descri'ptions of Neio Sphegidae. 519 
9 witli the intermediate coxae trochanters and femora in front, 
and the hind coxae, clothed with silvery pubescence : the front 
metatarsi externally bear a comb of eight fine long curved bristly 
spines with some shorter ones between them, on the side towards 
the body are three rather thicker spines and a dense brush of very 
short dark hairs. Front coxae (5 ) transversely strigose with their 
central portion polished and punctured, femora shining and 
punctured. In the ^ there is no sign of silvery pubescence, and 
the anterior coxae are rugose and dull. The tibiae in both sexes 
are simply spinose, not densely bristly as in tyranni(s, etc. Posterior 
metatarsi slightly curved at the extreme base in both sexes. 
Abdomen polished, its petiole slightly curved (its ventral length 
subeqi;al to that of the hind coxae in the 5 > longer in the ^). 
The rest of the body short and oval in the 9 1 longer propor¬ 
tionally in the i^. Long. 28-32 mm. 
This fine species is allied to higms, Kohl. But of his 
species Kohl observes that the mesonotum is so rugose 
that the rugosities show through the silvery hairs. In 
this species the silvery pubescence lies so flat on the 
surface, that its rugosities, if any, must quite clearly be 
very slight. 
Biskra, v, 97. (Coll. Saunders.) 
2. Astatus fumipennis [n. sp.]. 
Caput nigrum, nitidum, facie et genis postice albo-hirsutis. 
Thorax nigernitidissimus,remotissimepunctatus,pleurisalbo-hirsutis; 
alae anticae fuscae, posticae dilutiores. Abdomen rufo-testaceum, 
valvulae dorsalis lateribus valde reflexis. [ 9 ] 
Head and tiiorax shining black, mandibles red towards the 
base; face and head posteriorly and thorax beneath clothed with white 
hairs. Antennae with the 2nd joint of the flagellum 3 times at 
least as long as the 1st and distinctly longer than the 3rd : the 
scape clothed outwardly with white hairs, inwardly with thick 
black bristles, 1st and 2nd joints of the flagellixm clothed with 
stiff black hair.s. Vertex and region above the ocelli shining, largely 
and remotely punctured, that between the ocelli and below them 
closely punctured. Mesonotum (including the scutellum) very shiny 
and very remotely punctured; mesopleurae punctured. Anterior wings 
dark smoky brown : radial cell rather more than twice as long as 
wide, its apex truncate ; posterior wings clearer ; both pairs darkened 
towards the apex. Legs black, clothed with black bristly hairs ; 
the anterior tarsi pitchy-testaceous, the others more or less 
