248 hymenoptera. 



40. Sphex cognata. B.M. 



Female. Length 10 lines. — Black : the face densely covered 

 with a rich golden pubescence ; the anterior margin of the cly- 

 peus produced, subangidar, notched in the middle, the lateral 

 angles of the notch produced, forming obtuse teeth. The pro- 

 and mesothorax thinly covered with short golden pubescence ; 

 the scutellum naked, the post-scutellum and metathorax covered 

 with silvery-white pubescence ; the legs have a fine silky cine- 

 reous pile ; the posterior tibia; at their apex within have a short 

 reddish-brown pubescence. Abdomen : the petiole short, scarcely 

 as long as the first segment, at the base covered with a fine 

 changeable silky pile. 



Hab. Australia. 



This species closely resembles S. opulenta, but is distinguished 

 at once by the notch in the margin of the clypeus. 



41. Sphex modesta. B.M. 



Female. Length 10 lines. — Black : the face densely clothed 

 with silvery pubescence ; a denuded space down the middle of the 

 clypeus, which is thinly covered with long stiif black hairs ; the 

 mandibles elongate and very acute at their apex. The prothorax 

 with a silvery pubescence, that on the sides of the mesothorax is 

 of the same colour ; the disk of the mesothorax and the scutel- 

 lum closely punctured ; the metathorax finely transversely rugose 

 and covered with yellowish-white ])ubescence ; wings hyaline, 

 the anterior pair yellow towards their base, their apex faintly 

 clouded, a fuscous spot beyond the apex of the marginal cell ; 

 the extreme base of the wings dark fuscous. Abdomen very 

 smootli, shining and impunctate. 



Hab. Australia. 



42. Sphex vestita. 



Female. Length 13 hues. — Black : the face densely clothed 

 with short golden pubescence ; the cheeks have a thin cinereous 

 pile and also some scattered long pale hairs ; the vertex and face 

 have a thinly scattered pale pubescence ; the mandibles large 

 and prominent, furnished with a stout tooth inside and fringed 

 beneath with long pale hairs. The thorax densely clothed above 

 with golden jnibescence, which is more or less obliterated on the 

 scutellum, tlie latter with a deep central im])ressed line ; the sides 

 of the metathorax and breast covered with golden pubescence ; 

 the thorax has a thin golden pile beneath ; wings hyaline, faintly 

 clouded at their apical margins, the nervures dark ferruginous. 

 Abdomen blue-black ; the first segment and the petiole thinly 



