Genera and Species of Uymenoptera. 417 



on the top ; above it is a short narrow furrow ; on the front, 

 below the ocelli, is a narrow, not very distinct furrow. 



Polistes japonicus, sp. n. 

 Long., ($ 2 > 22 mm - 



Hah. Japan {George Lewis). 



This species so closely resembles the exceedingly variable 

 P. hebraus, especially the dark varieties, that it easily might 

 be passed over for it. The difference in the form of the 

 clypeus, however, enables them to be readily separated. In 

 hebraius ? the clypeus above has its sides straight and oblique ; 

 in japonicus the top forms a semicircle, the sides not being 

 straight. The males are easily separated by the fact that in 

 hebrosus the bordering furrow of the clypeus touches the eyes, 

 while in japonicus it is separated from them by a clear space; 

 in the latter, too, the top is bordered by a distinct furrow, 

 which is incised in the middle ; in the common species this 

 upper bordering furrow is absent or scarcely noticeable and 

 it does not project downwards in the middle. In japonicus 

 the curved transverse lines on the abdomen are united to a 

 broad black band at the base of the segments, so that enclosed 

 lateral marks are formed. Head testaceous ; the occiput, the 

 vertex from shortly behind the middle to the upper half of the 

 eye-incision, the part between the antennae, and the sides and 

 top of the clypeus narrowly black. Clypeus sparsely punc- 

 tured on the lower half, the apex with the sides oblique, the 

 centre rounded. Front and vertex distinctly, but not very 

 closely, punctured, the front with a narrow but distinct furrow. 

 Mandibles testaceous, the three teeth of nearly equal size. 

 Thorax black, the edge of the pronotum behind, the upper 

 third of the sides, their base more narrowly, leaving in the 

 centre a triangular black space, two large lines in the middle 

 of the mesonotum, a curved spot near the tegulae, the scutel- 

 lum, postscutellum, two lines (narrowed gradually below) on 

 the slope of the metanotum, a mark (narrowed below) near 

 the tubercles on the mesopleuras, and a more irregular one 

 (narrowed gradually towards the middle) on the apex lower 

 down, and a mark in the centre of the tnetapleurae behind the 

 furrow, yellow. Mesonotum obscurely punctured on the sides ; 

 the metanotum transversely striated, its central furrow much 

 wider than in hebraius. Pleurae obscurely punctured, the lower 

 part of the mesopleurae smooth at the base. Legs testaceous ; 

 the coxae, trochanters, the base of the front femora, the basal 

 half of the middle, the hinder (except at the apex), the four 

 anterior tibiae and tarsi, and the hinder tarsi (except at the 



