96 ASTATA STIGMA. 



This insect is extremely local ; but it is found on Hampstead 

 Heath, towards the west corner, amongst the sand-pits ; here it 

 abounds about the end of July and during August; I have also 

 taken it at Coombe Wood, and at Hawley, Hants. Its usual 

 prey appears to be the larva of a Pentatoma ; about five is the 

 number usually stored up in a cell ; on several occasions I have 

 also captured it conveying a specimen of Oxybelus uniglumis. 

 Shuckard has stated, on my authority, that it also preys upon 

 Epeolus variegatus ; I have little doubt now that I was mistaken 

 in supposing it to be Epeolus ; probably it was an Oxybelus ; 

 Epeolus does not occur on Hampstead Heath. The female bur- 

 rows in hard trodden sand, to the depth of four or five inches. 

 Mr. Curtis took the species in the Isle of Wight, and Mr. West- 

 wood found it at Coombe Wood ; and last season, in June, I 

 took the species on Reigate Common; it is very plentiful on 

 Gorton Common, north of the town of Lowestoft/ 



2. Astata stigma. 

 A. atra ; abdominis basi rufo, metathorace punctato. 



Dimorpha stigma, Panz. Faun. Germ. 107. 13. 

 Larra pinguis, Zett. Ins. Lapp. 436. 

 Astata stigma. Fan d. Lind. Obs. ii. 29. 4. 



Dahlb. Hym. Europ. 139. 69. 

 Astata jaculator, Smith, Zool. iv. 1157. 



Female. Length 3 lines. Black; the face opake, the vertex 

 shining; the mandibles obscurely rufo- piceous. Thorax: the 

 mesothorax, scutellum, and post-scutellum smooth and shining ; 

 an impressed abbreviated line on each side of the mesothorax 

 over the tegulse ; the metathorax opake, the truncation punc- 

 tured; wings slightly coloured, their apical margins with a 

 broad fuscous cloud ; the marginal cell short and broadly trun- 

 cated at the apex ; the anterior tibia? more or less ferruginous 

 in front ; anterior tarsi ciliated outside ; all the tibiae and tarsi 

 spinose. Abdomen : the first, second, and base of the third 

 segment ferruginous ; the margins of the segments depressed ; 

 sometimes only the two basal segments red, the second with a 

 central black stain. 



The male of this species has not yet been captured in this 

 country; I think it must be the A. stigma of the Continent: 

 the British specimens are smaller than any I have received from 

 abroad ; they are less pubescent, and the mesothorax less punc- 

 tured : the capture of the male will decide the question. The 



