HYMENOPTERA. 



453 



the anterior and posterior margins of the mesothorax beneath, 

 black ; sometimes a yellow spot beneath the wings ; the wings 

 hyaline, with a dark fuscous spot at the apex of the anterior 

 pair, the nervures ferruginous ; the legs ferruginous, variegated 

 with yellow. Abdomen ferruginous; a transverse spot at the 

 base of the second segment, the third and fifth segments, yellow ; 

 the third segment has sometimes a broad emarginate band, the 

 emargination being black or ferruginous; the extreme base of 

 the segments usually black. 



The male closely resembles the female, but the colours are 

 brighter ; the mesothorax is usually more or less black ; the 

 subcordate space at the base of the metathorax is black in both 

 sexes and striated; the legs are more variegated with yellow 

 and the posterior tibiae are fuscous at their apex. 



Hab. India; China. 



This species varies considerably in the colouring, scarcely two 

 individuals being exactly alike ; in some examples the vertex is 

 black, with one or two ferruginous stripes ; others are entirely 

 femiginous, with yellow spots and bands. 



75. Cerceris mastogaster. B.M. 



Female. Length 6 lines. — Black, punctured : the scape in 

 front, the clypeus, sides of the face, the carina between the 

 antennfe and the base of the mandibles, yellow ; the flagellum 

 fulvous beneath ; the head has a thin hoary ])ubescence, that on 

 the clypeus more bright and silvery. Thorax : a spot on each 

 side of the collar, the post-scutellum, and a spot on the tegula;, 

 cream-coloured; wings slightly coloured, with a dark cloud or 

 spot beyond the marginal cell; the nervures fusco-testaceous ; 

 the tibioe and tarsi of a yellowish-white, the anterior and inter- 

 mediate femora at their apex beneath, with a white spot; the 

 posterior femora and coxse ferruginous ; all the tibiae have a 

 fuscous stain beneath ; the metathorax, three basal segments of 

 the abdomen and a spot in the middle of the fourth segment, 

 ferruginous ; the subcordate space at the base of the metathorax 

 black, smooth, and shinhig, with a few stria; at the base ; two 

 spots at the base of the second segment of the abdomen and a 

 large one on each side of the third and fifth segments, white : 

 beneath, the third, fourth and fifth segments have on each side 

 a small erect plate, concave within ; viewed sideways having the 

 appearance of rows of teats ; the segments, except the apical 

 one, ferruginous. 

 Hab. Madras. (Coll. Walter Elliott, Esq.) 



