616 Mr. R. E. Tanier on Fossorial Ilymenoptera. 



Myzine rufifrons, Fabr. 



Larra rufifrons, Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. p. 222 (1793). 



Myzine violaceipennis, Cam. Records Albany Museum, i. p. 301 



(1904). 

 Var. Myzine erythrostomus, Cam. Arm. Transv. Mus. ii. 3, p. 117 



(1910). 



There seems to be absolutely no reason for separating the 

 northern specimens from those from the Cape. The pi'esence 

 of a white spot on each side of the fifth dorsal segment as 

 well as on the three preceding segments is certainly not a 

 sufficient character to form a new species on, this being 

 essentially a variable point in allied species ; and the other 

 slight differences mentioned by Cameron seem to me, after 

 an examination of several specimens from various localities, 

 to be overstated. The reckless description of new species 

 on very insufficient material is certainly much to be 

 deplored. 



In the same paper (pp. 118-119) Cameron describes two 

 males of the genus Plesia, according to his determination, 

 to which unfortunately I can attach no value, as he has 

 jireviously described males as Plesia which beyond doubt 

 belong to Myzine. He omits in both descriptions all 

 mention of the form of the basal abdominal segment, which 

 is of much importance in this group, but from his description 

 of the anal segment I consider that the species {pacificatrix 

 and transvaalensis) are more likely to belong to Myzine 

 than to Plesia. 



Myzine (?) swalei, sp. n. 



(S . Niger, maudibulis, tegulis, tibiis tarsisqne pallide flavis ; 

 segmcntis abdominalibus 2-6 apice flavo trimaculatis ; alls 

 hyalinis, nervulis nigris, stigmate magno, vena cubitali ultra 

 cellulam cubitalem tertiam vix producta, cellula radiali apice 

 obtusa ; clypeo apice rotuudato ; segmento mcdiano longitudina- 

 liter imprcsso ; segmento abdomiuali primo petiolato, apice 

 nodoso. 

 Long. G mm, 



cJ . Clypeus a little broader at the apex than long, the 

 apical margin broadly rounded. Autcnnre inserted very far 

 apart, about twice as far from each other as from the eyes, 

 gradually thickened towards the apex, the front between 

 them not prominent. Posterior ocelli situated fully twice 

 as far from each other as from the eyes. Ocelli small, 

 eyes shallowly cmarginate on the inner margin. ^Eedian 

 segment margined at the sides, with a broad, shallow, 

 longitudinal depression in the middle, truncate posteriorly. 



