Mr. R. E. Turner on Fossorial Hi/menoptera. 89 



defined, not rounded ; mesonotum ^vitllOut a sulcus. Tri- 

 angular area at the base of the median segment eoarscly 

 rugose, not divided by a sulcus. First abdominal segment 

 longer than the second, very slender at the base, swollen at 

 the apex ; the second segment about tour times as wide 

 at the ai)cx as the first. Pygidial area sparsely punctured. 

 Keeurrent ncrvurc received just before two-thirds from the 

 base of the cubital cell. Hind tibiie moderately spiuose. 



Hah. King's Park, Perth, W. Australia. 



One female taken on Eucalijpius blossom. 



Rhopalum variitarse, sp. n. 



$. Xigrn, nitida ; scapo siihtus, libiis anlcrioribiis supra, tarsis 

 antcrionbus intormodiisque, articulo apicali excepto, tarsisquc 

 posterioribus articulis tribus iutermediis llavis ; alls Lyalinis, 

 venis nigris. 



Long. S mm. 



Clypeus with a carina from the base to the middle, covered 

 uith white pubescence. Eyes separated at the base of the 

 antennte by a distance equal to about one-third of the 

 length of the scape. A broad longitudinal groove on the 

 inner margin of the eyes, level with the anterior ocellus. 

 Posterior ocelli a little farther from each other than from 

 the anterior ocellus, a little farther from the eyes than from 

 each other, Avith a short longitudinal sulcus between them. 

 INIesonotum subcarinate in the middle, basal area of the 

 median segment smooth and shining, without a median 

 groove. First abdominal segment as long as the second, 

 slender at the base, the apical half strongly swollen ; second 

 segment broadened from the base ; fifth segment sparsely 

 covered with grey pubescence ; pygidial area shining, 

 sparsely punctured, elongate-triangular. Hind tibicC much 

 swollen towards the apex, armed on the outer side with a 

 row of small spines. Radial cell broadly truncate at the 

 apex, transverse cubital nervure joining the radius close to 

 one-third from tne base of the radial cell, the recurrent 

 nervure received just bevond the middle of the cubital 

 cell. 



Hub. :\lt. Wellington, 2300 ft.; January. Eaglehawk 

 Neck ; February. 



Allied to the New Zealand species R. alhipes and R. per- 

 forator^ Sm., but differs from both in the less spiuose tibiic 

 and in other details of structure and colour. The tarsi are 

 coloured as in the male of alhipes, Sm., but in that species 

 the female differs from the male in this point. 



