36 Mr. F. Smith's Descriptions of new 



broad interrupted white fascia on the third segment, which is con- 

 tinued beneath the abdomen ; the lateral margins of the second 

 segment beneath are silvery-white. 



This is one of the largest and most handsome species in the 

 genus. I cannot find that it has been previously described; it 

 may possibly prove to be a local variety of Mut'illa eximia of my 

 own Catalogue of Fossorial Hymenoptera. It differs from the 

 latter species in being larger, in not having golden pubescence on 

 the face, in the scape being black and in the spots and markings 

 being smaller or narrower ; the teeth or spines on the sides of the 

 thorax are smaller; still it may notwithstanding be nothing more 

 than a local variety. M. eximia is from Bolivia. 



Family POMPILID^, Leach. 

 Genus Pompilus, Fabr. 

 1 . Pompilus anceps. 

 P. cseruleo-niger ; abdomine iridescente ; alls caeruleo violaceo- 



que splendide micantibus, apice albis. 

 Female. Length 11 lines. Black; the head and thorax with a 

 beautiful changeable blue silky pile ; the six apical joints of the 

 antennae orange-yellow; the metaihorax transversely striated; the 

 wings blackish-brown, with bright violet iridescence in certain 

 lights; their extreme apex milky-white; the tibiae and tarsi thickly 

 set with short stout spines. Abdomen with a splendid blue 

 iridescence. 



Genus Pepsis, Fabr. 

 ]. Pepsis ohscura, St. Farg. Hym. iii. 490, 35. 

 Hab. S. America. 



The insect from Panama agrees precisely with the description, 

 excepting that the tips of the antenna are yellow, which is not 

 mentioned by St. Fargeau ; still I am inclined to believe it is the 

 same species, and probably the male of P. elevata. 



Family SPHEGIDiE, Leach. 

 Genus Sphex, Linn. 

 1. Sphex dorsalis, St, Farg. Hym. iii. 347, 20. 

 Hab. Ega; Santarem; Cayenne. 



Of the habits of this species Mr. Stretch says, " From the 

 sandy embankments of the railway at Arpinvvall, it constructs a 

 long burrow perpendicularly into the hard sand. I saw it bring a 

 grasshopper as large as itself, with great difficulty, to the entrance 



