of Exotic Hymcnoptera. 77 



the peduncle and the base of the abdomen with a glassy-white mem- 

 branaceous margin. The insect sprinkled over evenly with minute 

 white glittering scales or setae. 

 Hob. Ega (Brazil). In the Collection of the British Museum, &c. 



Some examples of this species are of a much darker colour than 

 that of the description ; they are usually considerably smaller, and 

 are, I consider, the small form of the worker of this species ; the 

 margins of the head, &c, are of the same glassy whiteness, and con- 

 trast more strikingly than in paler examples. 



6. Cryptocenis bimaculatus. (Plate IV. fig. 4.) 



C. niger; capite antice et lateribus testaceis; abdomine elongato, basi 

 utrinque flavo maculato. 



Female. Length 3 lines. Black ; the head and thorax with strong 

 confluent punctures ; the abdomen with a longitudinal striation at the 

 base, the striae slightly divergent. The head, viewed in front, ovate, 

 slightly widest anteriorly, and emarginate in the middle in front ; the 

 sides of the head rufo-testaceous. Thorax transverse anteriorly, very 

 slightly rounded, with the lateral angles acute ; the sides of the thorax 

 parallel to the insertion of the antennae, from thence to the apex of the 

 metathorax gradually narrowed, the metathorax abruptly truncate ; the 

 wings subhyaline, with the nervures fusco-testaceous. Abdomen elon- 

 gate, the base emarginate, the apex rounded ; a large ovate yellowish- 

 white macula at each of the basal angles ; the nodes of the peduncle 

 with a small acute spine on each side. 



Hub. Mexico. In the Collection of the British Museum. 



Genus Meranopltjs, Smith. 



1. Meranoplus striatus. (Plate IV. fig. 1.) 



31. niger ; capite thoraceque longitudinaliter striatis ; metathorace bispi- 

 noso ; abdomine ovato, delicatule striate 



Worker. Length 2| lines. Black and slightly shining ; the head 

 strongly striated longitudinally, the striae diverging from the centre ; 

 the palpi and extreme tip of the flagellum rufo-testaceous. The thorax 

 strongly striated, widest in front, with an obtuse tooth on each side at 

 the margin near the deep strangulation at the base of the metathorax, 

 the latter terminating posteriorly in two long, stout spines ; the legs 

 rugose and slightly pubescent, the claws of the tarsi rufo-testaceous. 

 Abdomen ovate, and very finely striated or acicidate longitudinally ; 

 the first node of the peduncle oblong and subovate ; the second sub- 

 quadrate, with the lateral margins rounded ; both coarsely rugose. 



Captured by Mr. H. W. Bates at St. Paul, Brazil. In the Collection 

 of the British Museum. 



