HYMENOPTERA; 245 



face of the head, and where the maxillary palpi are hardly longer 

 than those of the labium *, Those of 



Pelop^us, Lat. Fab., 

 Ai'e evidently longer and consist of unequal joints. The insertion 

 of the antennae is higher up and on a level with the middle of the 

 eyes. 



The Peleopsei construct rounded or glohular nests of earth in the 

 interior of houses. They are formed like a spirally convoluted cord, 

 presenting on their inferior side tAVO or three ranges of holes, so that 

 they resemble the instrument known in France by the name of a 

 Tinker's whistle — sifflet de chaudronnier. The holes are passages to 

 as many cells, in each of which the Insect places the body of a 

 Spider, Fly, &c., along Avith an e^^; it then closes the orifice with 

 earth. To this division belongs the 



P. spirifex ; Sphex spirifex, L. Black ; abdominal pedicle 

 and legs yellow. In the South of France f. 

 4, In other Fossores the first segment of the thorax merely forms 

 a simple linear and transverse border, of which the two lateral extre- 

 mities are remote from the origin of the superior wings. The legs 

 are always short or of moderate length. The head viewed from 

 above appears transversal, and the eyes extend to the posterior mar- 

 gin. The abdomen forms an elongated semi-cone, rounded on the 

 sides near its base. The labrum is entirely exposed or very salient. 

 I have formed these Insects into a small family called Bembecides, 

 from the genus 



Bembex, Fab., 

 Of which it is constituted. In these Hymenoptera, peculiar to hot 

 climates, the body is elongated, pointed posteriorly, almost always 

 varied with black and yellow or russet, and glabrous; the antennae' 

 are approximated at base, slightly geniculate at the second joint, and 

 enlarging towards the extremity ; the mandibles are narrow, elon- 

 gated, dentated on the inner side and crossed ; the tibias and tarsi are 

 furnished with little spines or cilia, most remarkable on the anterior 

 tarsi of the females. We frequently find one or two teeth under the 

 abdomen of the males. Their motions are extremely rapid ; they flit 

 from flower to flower with a sharp and interrupted hum. Several 

 diff"use an odovir of roses. They only appear in summer. 



Some of them have a false proboscis, bent underneath ; their labrum 

 forms an elongated triangle. 



Sometimes the palpi are very short ; those of the maxillae have 

 but four joints and the labials but two. Such is the 



B.rostrata; Apis rostrata,!,.; Panz., Faun. Insect. Germ., I, 

 10. The male large, black, with transversal bands of lemon- 

 yellow on the abdomen, the fiirst of which is interrupted, and the 

 others undulated. The female, which has less yellow about 

 the head than the male, forms deep holes in the sand, where she 



* Lat., Gen. Crust, et Insect., IV. 59. 

 t See Fab>; Lat.; and Van der Linden. 



