6. Sphex gratiosa. S. capite thoraceque nigris, abdomine cæruleo, alis fusco-hyalinis.
Male. Length 10 lines. Head and thorax black; the face densely clothed with pale golden pubescence; the labrum and mandibles highly polished, very smooth and shining; a thin pale pubescence is scattered over the head, pro- and mesothorax, the latter obscurely chalybeous above, shining, and finely and closely punctured, with an abbreviated, deeply impressed line in the middle anteriorly; the posterior margin of the prothorax covered with shining silvery pubescence; the metathorax opake, and clothed with black pubescence; wings fusco-hyaline, the anterior pair darkest towards their base, the nervures dark fusco-ferruginous, nearly black. Abdomen smooth, shining dark blue; beneath, the margins of the segments have a bright, glittering, pale-golden pile.
Gen. PELOPŒUS, Latr.
1. Pelopœus laboriosus. P. niger; scapo anticè, pedibus petioloque rufescenti-flavis, alis hyalinis fulvo tinctis.
Female. Length 12 lines. Black, with black pubescence on the head and thorax; the face with a fine cinereous pile; the scape yellow in front; the mandibles smooth and shining. Thorax: the legs pale ferruginous, the posterior femora darkest; the coxæ, the anterior and intermediate trochanters, and base of the femora black; wings fulvo-hyaline, the nervures ferruginous; the metathorax obliquely striated. Abdomen slightly shining at the base, with the petiole reddish-yellow.
Hab. Aru.
Gen. Larrada, Smith.
1. Larrada modesta. L. nigra; abdomine pilis argentatis fasciato; alis hyalinis.
Female. Length 6½ lines. Black; the face covered with silvery down; the mandibles smooth, shining, black, and fringed beneath with fulvous hairs, the cheeks silvery. Thorax slightly shining, closely and delicately punctured; the metathorax opake and transversely striated; wings subhyaline, with a fuscous border at their apex, the nervures black. Abdomen slightly shining; the apical margins of the first, second, and third segments with fascia of silvery pile, which is very brilliant in certain lights.
Male closely resembles the female, but has an additional fascia on the abdomen.