vomoKva — mimkbiu^e. ^]^ 



Nat. Hi«t. 1M80, and Bull. U. S. Cm)l. Survey, 1«79). Dr. Packard, 

 in hl« " Revision" treats this t'aniily lus a subfamily, ^nvinjr the ehar- 

 acters in detail, tahulatinj; the species and descrihing one as new. 



The genera are easily separated, the characters being well marked 

 and constant. All have numerous species, except Aphilunthopi, 

 which has but two. In Cerceris the clyi)eu8 of the 9 is often pro- 

 duced into various curious shajHJs, which serve lus convenient charac- 

 ters for separating the s{)ecies, while in the % it is never more than 

 convex, but with the lateral apical margin furnished (as n the other 

 genera), with a " moustache" or fringe of hairs, which sonn 'imes has 

 a waxed appearance. 



The species of PhUnnthiis are said to prey up ii certain bees, es- 

 {)ecially the hive-bee, while Cerceris seems partial to diflerent species 

 of Curculionidse. 



Family MIMESIDiE. 

 Table of Genera. 



Second submHrginal cell naually receivinR both recurrent nervures, the subme- 

 dian cell of posterior wings longer than the median cell on the externo-nie- 

 dial nervure ; stigma slender ; inner spnr of posterior tibise broadly flattened. 



Jftimesa Shuck. 

 Second and third submargiiial cells each receiving a re iTent nervure, subme- 

 dian cell of posterior wings shorter than the mediiui cell on the externo- 

 medial nervure ; stigma broad ; both spurs of posterior tibise much alike. 



Psen I.Atr. 



These characters are those given by European authors, and are 

 ba-sed principally on neuration, which Dr. Packard, in his " Re- 

 vision," declares to be unreliable and to vary greatly in both genera ; 

 he says : " Mhnesn diifers from Pmn by its broader and shorter head, 

 longer body, much more clavate antennie, the much longer propo- 

 deum and abdomen, and the 9 tip is broad and flattened, where in 

 Pxen there is a Rnear, narrow groove." He gives the differential 

 characters at length, but they merge so imi)erceptibly that it is almost 

 impossible to tabulate them. The tw^o genera are, however, very 

 closely allied and the species look much alike. 



Family MELLINIDiE. 



Body .smooth and shining; abdomen petiolate ; anterior wings with three sub- 

 marginal cells, the first recurrent nervure received near the apex of the first 

 submarginal cell, and the second at the base of the third submarginal cell. 



Melliuas Fabr. 



/ 



