NYSSONID^. 163 



yellow spots on the abdomen, which has the basal ring yel- 

 lowish red in the female. * 



The fourth subfamily is the Nyssonince, so named from Nys- 

 son, a typical genus. 



The genus Gorytes is truly a mimetic form, closely simulat- 

 ing the genus Odynerus, one of the Vesparice. The front of 

 the head is narrow, while the clypeus is larger than usual. The 

 species are numerous, occurring late in the summer on the 

 flowers of Spiraea. Gorytes flavicornis Harris is polished russet 

 brown, with narrow yellow rings on the abdomen, the propo- 

 deum is smooth and polished, and the basal ring of the abdomen 

 is black. A species has been observed in Europe protruding 

 her sting into the frothy secretion of Tettigoniaa living on 

 grass, and carrying off the insect to provision its nest with. 



Oxybelus is a short, stout, black genus, with whitish abdomi- 

 nal spots, and stout spines on the thorax, while the sessile 

 abdomen is distinctly conical. "Its prey consists of Diptera, 

 which it has a peculiar mode of carrying by the hind, legs the 

 while it either opens the aperture of its burrow or else forms a 

 new one with its anterior pair. Its flight is low, and in skips ; 

 it is very active." (West wood.) 



Oxybelus emarginafus Say has two oval membranous appen- 

 dages to the metathorax, and is a common black species found 

 abundantly on the flowers of the Virginia Creeper. 



In Nysson the body is a little longer, narrow compared with 

 that of Oxybelus, while the terminal joint of the antennae is 

 thickened, flattened, and excavated beneath. Nysson lateralis 

 Say is dull black, with six light spots on the abdomen. 



The species of Stizus are of large size and easily recognized 

 by their hirsute body, stout legs, triangular silvery clypeus, 

 and the high transverse vertex of the head. The propodeum 

 has a faintly marked triangular enclosure. The species are 

 very rapacious, paralyzing grasshoppers and other large insects 

 with their formidable sting, and carrying them off to provision 

 their nests. Professor S. Tenney has sent us a specimen of 

 the Dog-day Cicada (C. canicularis) which Stizus speciosus had 

 thus stung. Mr. Atkinson has observed the same fact, and has 

 found the deep burrows of this species, the hole being three- 

 fourths of an inch in diameter. He has observed it feeding on 

 sap running from a tree. 



