NORTH AMERICAN HYMEXOPTERA. 223 



Sphwrophthalma oocidentalis Linn. 



Male.— Black ; head rounded, clothed with scarlet pubescence ; eyes large, 

 round and prominent ; antennae and mandibles black ; thorax robust, ovate. 

 clothed on the disc with scarlet pubescence; metathorax roundly truncate, 

 coarsely and confidently punctured ; legs black, clothed with black hairs ; wings 

 ample, fuliginous, three submarginal cells, marginal cell short, abruptly truncate 

 at tip; first submarginal pointed at either end, second elongate subquadrate, its 

 transverso-cubital nervures sinuate, receiving the first recurrent nervure near 

 the base ; third submarginal subpentagODal, much narrowed beneath, its apical 

 nervure confluent with the second recurrent ; tegulae clotbed anteriorly with fine 

 scarlet pubescence : abdomen ovate, basal segment petiolate, finely punctured, 

 clothed with erect black hairs; second segment black, shining, minutely punc- 

 tured, clothed with short, black pubescence, its apical margin and third and sixth 

 segments clothed with scarlet pubescence, fourth and fifth with black ; ventral 

 surface shining, finely and remotely punctured ; pubescence coarser than that of 

 the female. Length 16-22 mm. ; expanse of wings 30-40 mm. 



Female. — Head round, not as wide as the thorax, dark rufous, densely clothed 

 with scarlet pubescence, cheeks coarsely punctured, scape of antennae castaneous. 

 finely punctured, flagellum fuscous ; mandibles black at base and tips ; eyes 

 round, polished; thorax robust, ovate, narrowed posteriorly, coarsely punctured, 

 densely clothed on the disc with dense, scarlet pubescence ; pro- and mesothorax 

 armed on each side with an ovate tubercle ; metathorax abruptly truncate, its 

 posterior surface finely punctulate, lateral declivities of the thorax black, finely 

 punctured ; legs black, clothed with black hail's, femora finely punctured, inter- 

 mediate and posterior tibiae armed with spines, calcaria black ; abdomen ovate, 

 basal segment campanulate, black, finely punctured at apical margin ; second 

 segment blackish castaneous, finely punctured, with a broad band of scarlet pu- 

 bescence, deeply emarginate at basal and apical margins, in some individuals 

 almost forming two large ovate spots ; third segment black, remaining segments 

 clothed with scarlet pubescence ; ventral surface black or castaneous, finely punc- 

 tured. Length 16-27 mm. 

 Hab. — North America. 



This is the largest and most conspicuous species we have, and is 

 very abundant in individuals. The vestiture varies considerably, 

 the pubescence is sometimes ochraceous or fulvous, more especially 

 in the males. In some males the apical segments are entirely covered 

 with scarlet pubescence, while others are banded with black. 



SphaeropSithalma andreiiiformis Smith. 



Male. — Black, densely pubescent, that on the vertex and mesothorax bright 

 ochraceous, on the legs and rest of the body it is cinereous, tinged with yellow 

 on the abdomen above ; the wings smoky hyaline, having a broad darker band 

 on their apical margins ; the abdomen petiolated, the petiole having a broad lon- 

 gitudinal groove, not quite reaching the apex, and on each side an obtuse tooth 

 near its base ; the abdomen is strongly punctured and shining. Length 9 mm. 

 Hab — Mexico. 



Spluerophthalma creusa Cresson. 



Female. — Black, closely and roughly punctured ; head not wider than the 

 thorax, piceous-black, with black pubescence ; the vertex with golden ferrugin- 



