434 Mr. E. E. Turner on Fossorial Ilymenoptera. 



(8) W. K. Parker. " On the Structure and Development of the 



Skull in Lepidosteus osseus." Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. vol. clxxiii. 

 (1882). 



(9) Swinnerton. " Morphology of the Teleostean Head Skeleton." 



Journ. of Micr. Science, vol. xlv. (1902), pp. 503-594, text-figs., 

 pis. xxviii.-xxxi. 

 (10) A. Smith Woodward. "On the Cranial -Osteology of the Meso- 

 zoic Ganoid Fishes, Lepidotus and Dapedhis." Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1893, pp. 559-565, text-figs., pis. xlix. & 1. 



LIII. — Notes on Fossorial Hymenoptera. — XVIII. On the 

 Australian Species of Beinbex. By Rowland E. Turner, 

 F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



So little was known of the Australian species of Bembex at 

 the time of Handlirsch's fine monograph of the genus (1893), 

 that I think a key including the species since described, and 

 also those described by Smith, most of which were not 

 known to Handlirsch, may be useful. The genus is not so 

 well represented in Australian collections as should be the 

 case ; probably this is due to the extreme rapidity of flight 

 rendering capture difficult, for in sandy localities many 

 of the species are very common. They burrow in sand, 

 often in colonies — that is, a number of specimens form 

 burrows close together in suitable localities. Little is known 

 of the habits of Australian species, but in other countries 

 the burrows are often left open and fresh flies supplied 

 to the larva daily. Further collecting will doubtless result 

 in the discovery of more species. 



Key to the Australian Species of Bembex. 



do". 



1. Anterior femora serrate B. eyens, Handl. 



Anterior femora not serrate 2. 



2. Spur of fore tihia much dilated and 



flattened 8. 



Spur of fore tibia not roundly dilated . . 4. 



3. Bands of apical dorsal segments inter- 



rupted B. calcarina, Handl. 



Bauds of apical dorsal segments con- 

 tinuous B.Jfaviventris, Sm. 



4. Second ventral segment with a small 



tubercle on each side of the large 



median tubercle B. lobimana, Handl. 



Second ventral segment without lateral 



tubercles 5. 



5. Basal joint of fore tarsus strongly dilated. 6. 

 Basal joint of fore tarsus not dilated. ... 9. 



