2. PRosons. 15 



base, the anterior pair in front, and the femora at their extreme 

 apex cream-col onred : the apical joints of the tarsi ferruginous. 

 Abdomen : the two basal segments ferruginous, and the apical 

 margins of the following rufo-piceous ; sometimes only the basal 

 segment red, or that and a portion of the second red. B.'M. 



Male. — Black, finely punctured ; the face, scape in front, and base of 

 the mandibles white ; the scape short and somewhat dilated. 

 Thorax : a line on the collar, another on the teguke in front, and 

 the tubercles white ; sometimes a spot on each side of the scutellum, 

 these frequently obsolete ; the anterior tibia? in front and the base 

 of the intermediate and posterior pairs white ; the anterior tarsi 

 and the apical joint of the intermediate and posterior pairs rufo- 

 testaceous. Abdomen, the apical margin of the basal segment 

 with a patch of white pubescence laterally. 



This species varies greatly in colour, even/ gradation from a red to 

 a black abdomen occurring. 



There are three specimens of this species in the collection of the 

 British Museum, said to have been taken at Kingsbridge, Devon ; 

 and I found a female in a collection of Hymenoptera from tin- 

 neighbourhood of Bideford : I have collected at the latter locality, 

 but never found it. This has been regarded by an eminent Hyme- 

 nopterologist of France, Dr. Sichel, as a variety of P. signata. 



11. Prosopis bifasciata. 



P. nigra, capite et thorace albo maculatis, abdominis segmento primo 

 secundoque ruris. 



Prosopis bifasciata, Jurine, Hym. 220, pi. ii. fig. 30. 



St.-Farg. Hym. ii. 536. 



Snath, Cat. Hym. Ins. pt. i. 22 ; Entom. iii. 309. 

 Prosopis albipes, Panz. Faun. Germ. 105. 15. 



Female. Length 3|-4 lines. — Black; head closely and strong] y punc- 

 tured, an elongated cream-coloured spot on each side of the face; the 

 flagellum of the antenna^, except one or two of the basal joints, 

 ferruginous beneath ; the tips of the mandibles and the anterior 

 margin of the clvpeus more or less ferruginous, the latter with 

 occasionally a minute white spot. The thorax above with strong 

 confluent punctures ; a slightly interrupted line on the collar, two 

 spots on the scutellum, a spot in front of the tegulae, and the 

 tubercles cream-coloured ; the basal portion of the tibia? white • 

 the tips of the tarsi ferruginous ; the wings hyaline, with their apex 

 slightly clouded. Abdomen closely punctured ; the two red basal 

 segments usually with their apical margins more or less blackish. 



B.M. 



Male. — Resembles the female, but with the face, mandibles, and scapo 

 in front yellowish white. 



This is a very variable species in colour, specimens of every shade 



