]\Ir. E. E. Tmner on Fossonal Ilymemptera. 479 



LVI. — Nif(s on Fossorial Hymenopfera. — IV. 

 By Rowland E. 'J'urner, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



Remarlcs on the Genus Palarus. 



The following remarks are founded on tlie specimens of 

 r<iJ(irHs in the National Collection at South Kensington, 

 Avhich I have recently rearranged, and also on the collection 

 of Colonel C. G. Nurse, which he has kindly lent to me for 

 the purpose. The National Collection, though recently much 

 improved by the purchase of the Saunders collection and by 

 specimens from Karachi presented by Mr. Comber, is still 

 poor, especially in species from Asiatic Russia. The species 

 with which 1 am acquainted, together with a few others 

 which are sufficiently well described, if classified according to 

 the apical abdominal segment of the male, fall into live 

 natural groups : — 



I. Seventh dorsal segment bifurcate at the apex. 



1. P. oneili, Brauns ; 2. P. rtifipes, Latr. ; 3. P. variegatns, 

 Fabr. ; 4. P. spmolce, Sauss. ; 5. P. fortistriolatus, Cam.; 

 6. P. affinis, Moraw. ; 7. P. rothschtldi, Grib. 



II. Seventh dorsal segment narrow and truncate or shallowly emar- 

 ginate at the apex. 



1. P. indicufs, Nurse; 2. P. saundersi, Morice ; 3. ? P. donija- 

 lensis, Klug ; 4. ? P. aurantiacus, Ead. 



III. Seventh dorsal segment trideutate at the apex. 



1. P./z<72cr«rms, Moraw. ; 2. P. bisiynatus, Moraw.; 3. P. se- 

 raxensis, Ead. ; 4. P. Icetus, Klug ; 5. P. fabius, Nurse ; 

 6. P. lepidus, Klug ; 7. P. nursei, Turn. ; 8. P. co7ifiisus, 

 Turn. 



IV. Seventh dorsal segment truncate at the apex, with lateral spines at 



the base. 



1. P. orientalis, Kohl; 2. P. lutifrons, Kohl. 



V. Seventh dorsal segment broadly subtruncate at the apex, without 

 lateral spines. 



1. P. comheri, Turn. 



The third group is also distinguished by the greater dis- 

 tance between the eyes on the vertex. P. penthiri, Brauns, 

 seems to form a sixth group. 



The genus is isolated airong the Sphecoidea, showing no 

 near relationship to any other, and when the group is revised 

 (Can hardly be associated with the Larridse. Kohl practically 



