K. I>. Meriee. 



In its elongate thorax, quadrate (not transverse) seutellum, 

 and depressed scarious margin to the second abdominal segment 

 aberraticus shows considerable resemblance to a Micro dynertia 

 but none of the latter, I believe, have the base of the petiole 

 carinated as in Ancistrocerus. It has some likeness also in form 

 and puncturation to certain SymmorpM, but from these, infer 

 alia, the hooked male antennae separate it instantly. It is utterly 

 unlike any Eumenes except in the proportions of its basal ab- 

 dominal segments. Altogether this is a very singular insect, 

 and it is quite possible that I am wrong in assigning it to any 

 of the recognized groups of Odynerns, though I feel little doubt 

 as to its claim to a place in that genus. 



Savigny has figured an Egyptian species ('Planches des 

 Insectes etc' pi. viii, fig. 14) (= pharao, Sauss., according to 

 v. Dalla Torre's Catalogue) which I thought at first might be 

 the insect before me. But this cannot be so, if he has given 

 correctly the contour of the second ventral abdominal segment 

 in his species; for this, in the lateral view which he gives 

 it, is nearly flat, while in aberraticus it is turgid and conv 

 (almost semicircularly so) to an extent which I have never ob- 

 served in any other Odynerus. 



26. Icaria cincta Lep. (?). One 9. White Nile 1 iv. I be- 

 lieve I have identified this correctly, though its clothing of 

 prostrate sheeny hairs seems a little finer and shorter than on 

 the specimens called cincta at South Kensington. Its general 

 colour is a rusty brown, with large markings of bright red, and 

 a single narrow band of creamy yellow at the apex of the 1st 

 abdominal segment. But I fancy the specimen is a good deal 

 discoloured by cyanide, and that some of the parts now red 

 were once more flavous. [The Whole of Africa]. 



27. Polistes gallicus 9 L. Cairo (without date). [Europ 

 North America, Western Asia, Northern Africa]. 



28. Nomioides variegatus Ol. One 9, Khartum 1 ii. [Europ 



29. Nomia tegulata Smith. Three 99, one tf, Abba 

 land 12 ii. 



I have compared the 99 with Smith's types at South K 

 sington and they agree with these exactly. The a 7 ' is extremely 



mt 



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