Species of the Genun \n\\\\o])\\\\i\ [Kirbii) . (j5 



like mass. By " foiiuMitum," very dense shorter and more de- 

 ciimltoiit liaiis, matted closely together, witli a silvery or more 

 rarely a golden glitter, frequently combined with jjiloaity and 

 lying under it. \\y "pubescence," a down of still shorter 

 fine and even hairs, never matted, giving a smooth silky or 

 velvety look to the surface which it covers. When the 

 pubescence is quite microscoj)ical and noticeable only by its 

 faint shimmer in certain lights, the surface may be called 

 " jiruinose " (frosted). A single row of longish even hairs 

 1 call a " fimbria " (fringe). 



Group P.SAMMuriiiLA, Dhb. 

 1. Psamniophila rndsinissa^ sp. n. 



Nigra, abdomine atrocyaneo, alis violaceis ; tegulis inandibulis 

 peduinque armatura (pneter uiiguiculos rufos) nigris, hirsutie 

 nigra. Vertex punctatus, microsco|)ice rui^ulosiis. Pronotura in 

 medio imj)ro.ssurn, mcdonotum antice sutura niodiaiia longitu- 

 dinali instructura, ambo punctata at antice saltern subtiliter trans- 

 versiiu rugulosa. Sciitellum punctatum, elevaturn, subtiiissime 

 longitudinaliter striolatum, in medio plus minusve depressum. 

 Propodeum concinne undulatira (in medio fere transversira) 

 striatum. Petiolus brevis, apicem versus dilatatus, aiitennarum 

 articulis l2-|-3 vel tarsorum posticorumai'ticulo secundo subsequalis, 

 metatarso postico multo brevior. 



Long. 16-17 mill. 



Biskra {Eaton). Three females (2D iii.-3 iv. '97). 



Mr. Eaton took also at Biskra (7 ii. '95) wiiat at present 1 

 believe to be oidy an aberrant form of masinissa $ , but with 

 several conspicuous peculiarities. It is very much larger than 

 the type specimens (long. 24 niillim.), the thorax more 

 shining and its sculpture more pronounced {e. g. the scutellum 

 is clearly and even strongly bituberculate), the blue tint of 

 the abdomen a shade brighter, &c. The neuration also is 

 curious, the second transverse cubital nervure in both wings 

 being sharply and angularly bent inwards, and the third 

 strongly (but in a curve, not angularly) outwards. This 

 gives a most peculiar appearance to the cubital cells, but 

 one which I sus))cct to be a result of " neuration gone wrong " 

 (as .so often happens in Ammophila) rather than a specific 

 character. 



At any rate, I am not prepared to found a separate species 

 on this isolated and probably abnormal s[)ecimen. 



Pussibly it may turn out that 7nasinissa = atro-ci/anea, 

 Eversm., but Andrd describes the ( ? ) propodeum of that 

 species as 7iot striated, which it most evidently is in all the 

 specimens before me. 



.1////. (f- .^fnj. X. Hist. Ser. 7. VoK v. .5 



