738 Annals of the South African Museum. 



below. Wings fuscous, nervures and stigma blackish brown. Other- 

 wise like the 2J. . 



cJ, 10-11-5 mm. Black. Head, mesonotum and scutellum closely 

 and finely reticulate-punctate and dull ; epinotum, scale and abdomen 

 moderately shining and very superficially reticulate-rugulose. The 

 pilosity consists of pale yellowish, long, thin and pointed hairs, quite 

 different from the pilosity of the 2J. and $. It is not very abundant, but 

 is more plentiful on the abdomen than elsewhere. Head as long as wide 

 across the eyes, the sides in front of the latter straight, moderately 

 convex behind them. Clypeus carinate. Mandibles large, edentate. 

 The scapes extend beyond the hind margin by at least half their length. 

 Frontal carinae strongly divergent behind. Declivity of epinotum 

 subvertical, slightly convex from above to below, twice as long as the 

 dorsum, their junction widely arcuate. Scale of petiole thick, low, 

 about one and a half times wider than thick, both faces convex 

 transversely, the upper edge obtuse and emarginate in the middle. 

 Wings hyaline or very faintly tinged with yellow, nervures and stigma 

 pale brown. 



S.W. Africa, the Karroo and Grahamstown. 



(S.A.M., E.M., G.A. colls.). 



Var. flavopilosus, Emery. 

 Ann. Soc. Ent. France, vol. 63, p. 54, 1895. 



Like the type of the species, but with the pilosity on the abdomen 

 of a pale straw-yellow ; the glabrous median patches are rarely 

 present, and when they occur are always smaller than in the type. 

 It attains to a larger size, 2J., 15-17 mm. The scale is a little thicker 

 in both the 21. and £ than in the type of the species. 



<J, 9*8 mm. Smaller than the type of the species. The dorsum of 

 the epinotum is more oblique and the scale is less deeply emarginate 

 above, and thicker or about as long as wide. Otherwise like the type. 



S. Rhodesia. Almost confined to sandy and well-wooded regions, 

 frequently nesting under stones and fallen trees. A most vicious and 

 courageous insect, which, when the nest is disturbed, has a most 

 uncommon and disconcerting way of rushing out in files direct towards 

 the intruder, even if the latter is standing several feet away from the 

 nest. The bite of the 2J. 2J. is quite capable of drawing blood. In 

 walking, the abdomen is carried reflected over the thorax, giving the 

 insect a peculiar and distinctive appearance. 



