46 SCOLIAD^E. 



central longitudinal lines extending from base to apex; an 

 abbreviated line on each side in front, terminating opposite 

 the tegulse ; the scutellum deeply punctured ; the metathorax 

 coarsely rugose; the wings hyaline, iridescent, occasionally 

 slightly fuscous, their nervures rufo-testaceous ; the tarsi more 

 or less testaceous. Abdomen shining, delicately and sparingly 

 punctured ; base of the segments much depressed, their mar- 

 gins constricted. 



This is a rare insect, but has occurred at Black Gang Chine 

 and Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight ; at Blackwater, Hants ; on 

 Hampstead Heath ; and at Southend, Essex ; it has also been 

 taken at Lyme Regis, Dorset. I captured five females and three 

 males on one occasion at Weybridge, on the 8th of August ; also 

 another male in August, at Blackwater. Methoca is the British 

 representative of the genus Thynnus ; the latter, as observed by 

 Mr. Bakewell, of Lower Plenty, South Australia, is parasitic upon 

 Lepidoptera. Mr. Bakewell obtained specimens of Thynnus 

 from the cocoons of moths which had been dug up from the 

 ground, thus proving the habit of that interesting genus of 

 insects. 



Tribe II. FOSSORES, Latr. 



The sexes two, male and female, both furnished with wings ; 

 the anterior wings not longitudinally folded ; legs of the females 

 usually adapted for burrowing, never adapted for collecting pol- 

 len ; the first joint of the posterior tarsi never wider than the 

 following ones ; the tongue never lanceolate or filiform. The 

 posterior margin of the prothorax, or collar, sometimes pro- 

 longed on each side as far as the insertion of the superior wings ; 

 the collar usually arched. 



Fam. 1. Scoliadae, Leach. 



The females have usually the legs very robust, and thickly 

 spinose, or densely ciliated"; the femora arcuate at their extre- 

 mity and compressed ; the antennae stout, shorter than the tho- 

 rax ; the eyes in the typical genus (Scolia) notched. 



