HORN-TAILED WOOD-WASPS. 541 



insects belonging to the genus Xiphydria have the same 

 form and habits as those of the horn-tailed wood-wasps. 

 The name comes from a word signifying a small sword, 

 in allusion to the borer of the female, which is shorter 

 than in the preceding horn-tails. The winged insects 

 have a rounded head, distant from the thorax, to the lower 

 part of which it is joined by a slender conical neck. The 

 body is nearly cylindrical, a little flattened, somewhat turned 

 up behind, and ends with an obtuse point. The antennae 

 are short, curved, and tapering at the end. 



Xiphydria alUcornis of my " Catalogue," or the white- 

 homed Xiphydria, has white antennse with the two lowest 

 joints black. The head is black, with a narrow white 

 line around each of the eyes, forming a large oval, inter- 

 rupted only in two places, on each side of the head. The 

 body is black, with a spot on the front corners of the tho- 

 rax, and six spots on each side of the abdomen, of a white 

 color. The legs are reddish yellow or honey-yellow, with 

 dusky feet. The wings are transparent, and have blackish 

 veins. The body measures from six tenths to nearly three 

 quarters of an inch in length. This insect is found on 

 the trunks of trees of soft wood, in August. 



Xiphydria mellipes of my " Catalogue " may be merely 

 a variety of the preceding, - from which it differs chiefly 

 in having only four white spots on each side of the abdo- 

 men. It is four tenths of an inch long. I am indebted 

 to the Rev. L. W. Leonard for specimens of these two 

 species. 



The name of the genus Oryssus comes from a Greek 

 word signifying to dig holes. The insects belonging to it 

 differ considerably from the other Vroceridce, but, from what 

 little is known respecting them, they appear to have the 

 same habits. They have a cylindrical body, almost rounded 

 behind, or bluntly pointed, and not distinctly horned. Their 

 heads are large, and very rough on the front. Their an- 

 tennae appear to come out of the mouth, being inserted 



