No.3.] PATTON ON THE AMERICAN STIZINI. 343 



separatiug grandis and fervUlm from s])eciosns ; and I liave no doubt 

 that tlie same remark will ax^ply to Xcvaclensis and Hogardn, and i)er- 

 liaps to spectaMUs. At any rate, no specific characters are pointed out 

 in the descriptions of those species sufiBcient to establish a distinction. 

 The color of the body varies from black to ferruginous, and the yellow 

 bands of the abdomen vary in number, size, and shape, but the type is 

 the same in all. The claspers in the males of the four varieties are 

 identical. 



Var. d. convallis. — 9, FeiTuginous, antennae except two or three of 

 the basal joints, mandibles except at base, and tarsal claws except at 

 base, black. Wings colored as in speciosus. A small yellow spot on 

 each side of the second segment of the abdomen. Inner spur of poste- 

 rior tibiae no longer than the outer spur, and not reaching the tip of the 

 first tarsal joint. In speciosus, the inner spur usually reaches to the tip 

 of the first tarsal joint, and slightly surpasses the outer spur. Length 

 1.25 in. — ,? , Differs in having a yellow spot on each side of the first, 

 second, and third segments of the abdomen, the spots on the second 

 and third segments almost united 5 four yellow spots on the second 

 ventral segment faintly connected to form a band ; the breast marked 

 with black, and the labrum, clypeus, and tubercles tinged with yellow. 

 Length 1 in.— Yosemite Valley, Cal. (Mr. F. Y. McDonald). 



Walsh had no good reason (Am. Ent. i, 162, Apr. 1809) for changing 

 the name of the African Stisus grandis Lepel. to jSt. gigas. At the time 

 the African species was described. Say's grandis did not belong to the 

 genus Stizus. Walsh's genus Stisus is not the same as Lepeletier's. 

 Indeed, Walsh incorrectly referred his new species hrevipennis to his own 

 genus Stizus. At present, moreover, Stizus grandis Say, having become 

 a synonym of speciosus, cannot conflict with any other species. 



I have observed this wasp dragging its prey, the Cicada pruinosa Say. 

 The Cicada, paralyzed by the sting of the wasp, was placed upon its back 

 with the wings folded. The wasp, standing over it, caught hold of the 

 bases of the wings with the claws of her intermediate tarsi, and, walking 

 upon her anterior and the tips of her posterior tarsi, dragged the Cicada 

 head foremost over the ground, the intermediate tarsi of the wasp ex- 

 tending from the bases of the wings to the eyes of the Cicada. Proceed- 

 ing in this manner, and with an occasional flutter of the wings if harassed, 

 she ascended a small evergreen tree, probably to attain an elevation 

 from which to take flight, and was there lost to view. 



2. Sphecius nevadensis. 



stizus Nevadensis Cress., Trans. A. E. S. v, 99, S (1875) ; Eep. U. S. Surrey West 

 of the lOOth Meridian, v, 716, pi. 33, f. 1, $ (1876). 



Habitat : Nevada and Utah. 



3. Sphecius HoaAHDii. 



stizus Eogardii Latr., Gen. Crust, et Ins. iv, 100, 1. 13, f. 12, $ (1804). 

 Stizus Eogardii Lepel. et Serv., Encycl. M6tli. x, 496, $ (1825). 

 Stizus Mogardii Smith, C. H. B. M. iv, pi. viii, f. 4, 5 (1856). 



