266 HYMENOPTERA. 



Many of the examples of this species have the wings hyaline 

 or subhyaline ; this is the case in all from Brazil and in others 

 from California ; examples from Jamaica have them fuscous ; 

 beyond the difference in the colouring of the wings no specific 

 distinction has been detected. 



2. PRIONONYX ATRATA. B.M. 

 Sphex atrata, St. Farg. Hym. iii. 355. 30. * 



Ha b. North America. 



St. Fargeau described this species from a specimen in Sen ille's 

 Collection, its locality being unknown : it is the Sphex labrosa of 

 Harris's Catalogue. 



3. PRIONONYX DOUMERCI. 



Sphex Doumerci, St. Farg. Hym. iii. 357. 33. 

 Hab. Cayenne; Brazil. 



4. PRIONONYX STRIATA. B.M. 



Female. Length 10-11 lines. Black: the face covered with 

 silvery pile, and having, as well as the cheeks, a number of long 

 white hairs ; the anterior margin of the clypeus with a small 

 notch in the middle. The mesothorax longitudinally finely stri- 

 gose, the metathorax transversely so, and covered thinly with 

 short cinereous pubescence ; the scutellum bituberculate ; the 

 tibiae and tarsi strongly spinose ; the anterior tarsi with long cilia 

 outside ; the wings black, with a violet iridescence, their apical 

 margins palest. Abdomen ferruginous, with the petiole black. 



The male only differs in being smaller. 



Hab. Brazil (Para; Villa Nova). (Coll. H. W. Bates.) 



This is probably the Pepsis Johannis of Fabricius, and also the 

 Sphex Doumerci of St. Fargeau ; the former, however, does not 

 notice the striation of the thorax, but points out the emargina- 

 tion of the scutellum, which is described here as bituberculate : 

 St. Fargeau does not notice the form of the scutellum, but de- 

 scribes the metathorax as being transversely striated ; the meso- 

 thorax he does not mention. Under these circumstances we 

 have given another name and description to the species. 



5. PRIONONYX 



Sphex .Egyptia, St. Farg. Hym. iii. 356. 32. 



Hab. Egypt. 



