1P22.] 
The question remains : how do the beetles effect entrance to a coffin 
huried many feet in the earth ? In the present instance Dr. Spilsbuiy 
feels certain that the mature beetles could not have done so, and indeed 
it is probable, if only on account of their numbers, that they had 
matured from larvae that had developed there. As the beetle is seldom 
found away from grave-yards, it is tolerably certain that the eggs could 
not have been laid upon the corpse before the coffin was closed (as may 
be the case with Fliora, although burial took place in the month of 
February). The probability seems in favour of the newly hatched larva 
having effected entrance, but whether the beetle burrows down to 
oviposit on the surface of the coffin, or whether she lays her eggs on the 
surface and the young larvae burrow down, or whether the eggs were 
laid on the sods with which the bottom of the grave was lined, we have 
no evidence. In any case in the course of the ten months during which 
in this instance, the corpse had been buried the beetles had evidently 
passed through at least one life-cycle, thus proving that their presence on 
a corpse cannot be taken, as claimed by M. Megnin, as evidence that 
two years have elapsed since burial. 
British Museum (Natural History). 
February 19:22. 
THREE NEW ORTHOPTERA FROM PALESTINE AND N.W. PERSIA. 
BY B. P. UTAKOV, F.E.S. 
The following new species of Orthoptera from Palestine and one 
new subspecies from N.W. Persia are described from collections sent to 
the Imperial Bureau of Entomology by Dr. P. A. Buxton, at present 
Government Entomologist at Jerusalem. The types are preserved in 
the British Museum collection. 
1. Sjjhingonotus coerulans L., subsp. coerulipes, n. 
One male and two females taken 25th-2Gth August, 1919, at Kazvin, N.W. 
Persia, differ from the typical (European) specimens of S. coerulans by the 
following- characters, which compel me to separate them aa a distinct 
geographical race : — 
Frontal riJge of the $ between the antennae somewhat convex, with the 
margins slightly diverging downwards, just below the ocellum constricted 
and distinctly impressed, disappearing before it reaches half-way between the 
ocelhim and clypeus. False vein iu the discoidal field perfectly straight, 
parallel to the hind radial ; the hind discoidal area about three times as broad 
as the foro discoidal. Hind femora on the inner side bluish bhnck, with a 
broad pale ring before the apex. Iliud tibiae «ky.blue, with the in.side of their 
84 [April, 
base black, and a pale streak along tlie basal quarter of tbe outer side. Wings 
faintly bluish basalh'. 
In tlie paratypic male tlie frontal ridge in its lower part is more raised 
as in tbe female and almost reaching the clypeus, but still its margins are far 
less raised than in the typical coerulans. 
2 (type). S (paratype). 
Length of body 25 mm. 16 mm. 
,, pronotum 5 3'5 
„ elytra 26 16 
„ hind femora 1.3 9 
These three specimens have been previously named by me in my 
paper on the Orthoptera of Mesopotamia * as ^S*. coerulans L., but when 
I revised the whole material of the genus Sphingonotus in the British 
Museum, I came to the conclusion that there is more than one species 
(with additional geographical races) of SjyJiinffonofus with hyaline 
wings in the deserts of the Western Asia. Tims, the typical 
S. coerulans coerulans seems to be confined to the more northern parts 
of the country, and Dr. Buxton's collection contains a long series of 
very typical specimens, taken at the Southern coast of Caspian Sea — 
at Enzeli, Gilan, and Menjil. The series of specimens from Baghdad 
and Amara proved to be ^S'. meclteriae Krauss, described from the 
Algerian Sahara. One specimen from Enzeli belongs to ^S*. ruhescens 
Walk., which is probably identical with S. aegyptiacus Sauss., and 
represents a very good species -ft^hich w-ill be redescribed by me else- 
where ; there is also one specimen of it in Dr. Buxton's Palestine lot, 
taken at Amman, Transjordania, alt. 2500 ft., 21. vii. 1921. A small 
lot of Mesopotamian Orthoptera sent in by Mr. Y. Ramachandra Rao 
included one more species of that group taken at Baghdad, 15. vii. 1920 
— 8. vosseleri Krauss, also described originally from the Algerian 
Sahara. It is obvious that the Asiatic species of Sph/'nc/onofus \vith 
bj^aline wings should be revised on the basis of large series of specimen s. 
2. Sphingonotus angulaiiis, sp. n. (Fig. 1.) 
2 . Similar in size and the pattern of wings to Sphinf/nnotus callosus Fieb., 
but differing from it in the shape of the head, sculpture of the pronotum, and 
the shape and position of the discoidal intercalate vein. 
Antennae distinctly longer than the head and pronotum together, very 
slightly flattened, with the apex somewhat attenuate. Face with scattered 
puncturation, in profile somewhat reclinate ; frontal ridge in profile rotundato- 
promiuent between the antennae, feebly, but distinctly depressed just below 
the ocellum, practically straight aud distinctly reclinate in the rest; when 
* Journal of the Bombay Nat. Hist. Soo., xxvii, No. 1, p. 80i, No. 22 (1921). 
1922.] 
86 
seen from the front it is gradually widened from the fastigium towards the 
ocelhim, distinctly constricted below the latter and gradually widened farther 
downwards, disappearing just before the clypeus ; its surface not strongly 
impressed; the margins above the ocellum sharp and smooth, below it thick, 
rounded and callous, irregular. Temporal foveolae scarcely marginated, 
slightly impressed, indistinct, elongato-oval. Fastigium of the vertex strongly 
sloping, in profile widely rounded, impressed, with an indistinct median 
carinnla ; its margins scarcely elevated in the front half and more so in the 
hind half where they are thick, callous, and slightly convergent backwards ; 
the maximal width of the fastigium is just before the eyes and measures more 
than a half of its length and twice as much as the maximal width of the 
frontal ridge. Occiput smooth, but not shining. Lateral facial keels practi- 
cally straight, feebly divergent downwards, fairly thick, callous, disappearing 
before they reach the clypeus. Cheeks somewhat swollen, smooth, with the 
Fig. 1. — Sphingonotus angulatus, sp. n. 
puncturation more dense at the lower margin and scattered elsewhere. E\es 
perfectly oval, their maximal length subequal to two-thirds of their height ; 
their lower end almost acutely angular. Pronotum strongly constricted in the 
prozona, which is a little longer than one-third of the whole pronotal disc and 
regularly convex ; the fore margin slightly rotuudato-prominent with a shallow 
emargination in the middle; the first and second transverse sulci^ well 
distinct, narrow, bent backwards in the middle, parallel to each other ; the 
fore part of the prozona (/. e., that between the fore margin and the first sulcus) 
somewhat raised tectiformly, but "without a distinct median carinula, with two 
shallow impressions sideways of the raised middle part; no trace of the 
median carina between the first and the third sulcus; two transversely 
elongate callous tubercles between the second and the third sulcus ; the meta- 
zona feebly convex, slightly rugulose, with a feeble median keel : the hind 
margin obtusely rounded, with the sides slightly sinuate ; shoulders distinctly 
prominent, rounded ; lateral lobes much higher than long, tlieir front margin 
practically straight, the front angle obtuse, not rounded, tlie lower margin 
strongly oblique, scarcely sinuate before the middle, the hind angle acutel' 
attenuate sideways, the hind margin practical!}' straight. Episternum 
8G 
[April, 
rotundato-triangular, about twice as long as it is high. Mesosterual lobes 
separated by an interspace about twice as broad as it is long, and distinctly 
broader than one of the lobes. INIetasterual interspace almost twice as broad 
as it is long. Elytra about five times as long as their maximal width, 
gradually and not strongly narrowed towards the obliquely rounded apex ; 
nuire than the basal half densely reticulated, subcoriaceous ; mediastinal area 
rather hroad, quickly narrowed at the apex, with a distinct false vein ; scapular 
area in its middle a little narrower than the mediastinal, sinuate, gradually 
narrowed towards the apex, with a false vein beyond the middle, not reaching 
the apex of the area ; radial veins distinctly sinuate ; discoidal area densely 
and irregularly reticulated, somewhat broader than the mediastinal area in its 
broadest part ; the false discoidal vein well developed, though in the apical 
part somewhat irregular, in the basal half subparallel to the hind radial vein, 
and beyond the middle approaching to the latter, but not touching it ; 
inierulnar area in its broadest part as wide as the discoidal area, with about 
five irregular rows of cells and a scarcely developed, irregular, false vein ; the 
interfurcal area at its base about half as broad as the discoidal, slightly 
narrowed towards the apex, with 3-4 very irregular rows of cells; more than 
the basal third of the apical part of elytra rather densely and irregularly 
reticulated, subcoriaceous, the rest hyalinous with regular elongated cells ; 
the axillar vein confluent apically with the anal vein. Wings rather broad, 
with two apical lobes rounded. Hind femora broad basally, with the apex 
attenuate ; the upper carina regularly bent, without a preapical emargination. 
Coloration brownish ochraceous, densely raarmorated with dark chocolate- 
brown and whitish. Antennae pale ochraceous, somewhat darker apicalh^, 
with brownish rings. Face whitish, with dark grey puncturation ; margins of 
the frontal costa near the fastigium and not far above the clypeus, black ; 
cheeks whitish ochraceous with grey marmoration, dark grey punctures and 
one black spot near the edges of the clypeus. Fastigium and vertex 
ochraceous, densely marmorated with velvety-black. Occiput of a lighter 
shade than the vertex, with an indefinite dark median fascia and sharply 
defined from above blackish postocular fasciae. Pronotum ochraceous ; its 
middle part marmorated with black and velvety-brown, while the sides of the 
disc are paler, forming an X-shaped design; the two callous tubercles in the 
middle of the disc, before the hind sulcus, white ; hind margin with three 
pairs of brown spots ; the lateral lobes with an indistinct dark fascia along the 
upper margin and with a velvety -brown spot in the middle, surrounded by 
whitish. Elytra ochraceous ; the basal third densely marmorated with 
chocolate-brown, the colour being darker along the apical border, which is 
irregular and oblique; the postmedian fascia brownish, distinctly interrupted 
between the radial veins and suddenly widened behind them; the apical third 
part of the elytra with irregularly scattered brownish spots, more dense at 
the base of that part where an indefinite fascia is formed by them. "VVings 
hyalinous; a broad black fascia starts from the middle of the fore margin and 
runs towards the hind angle, but neither reaches the latter nor touches the 
hind margin ; the fascia is distinctly constricted at the anal vein, and its post- 
anal part is then suddenly widened, being in its broadest part more than twice 
as broad as the preanal part ; its outer margin is very convex, while the inner 
one is only so feebly ; the veins and veinlets in the apical lobes are brownish. 
11^22.] 87 
Fore aud middle legs Avitli brown riiigluts. Hind femora with three indefinite 
dark fasciae on the up])er side, and still more indistinct ones on the outer side ; 
the inner side pale with the basal half and a preapical ring black. Iliud tibiae 
pale, with the base and tips of the spines black. 
c? (paratype). Dillers from the $ in having more distinct transverse 
fasciae on the elytra, the postmediau one being very distinctly interrupted 
between the radial veins ; tbe fascia of the wings is much narrower and not 
sharply defined, interrupted at the anal vein ; the two apical lobes infumate. 
$ (type). c? (paratype). 
Length of body 24'5 mm. 17'5 mm. 
,, pronotum 6 3'75 
elytra 23 17-6 
„ hind femur lOo 9 
The type is from Haifa, Palestine, 25. vi. 1921 ; the 17 paratjpes 
(13 males and 4 females) ai-e partly from the same locality, but mostly 
from Akka, 9-29. vi. 1921 ; one male is from Amman, TransjorJania, 
2500 ft., 30. viii. 1921. 
In its general appearance this species is not unlike *S'. caJlosus 
Fieb. (specimens of which have been sent by Dr. P. A. Buxton from 
the same localities), but of course is easily separated b}'' tlie sculpture 
of tbe pronotum and shape of the head. In these charactei-s 
S. angulatus resembles S. coerulans L., but differs from it not only 
in tbe coloration of the wings (a character very unreliable in this 
genus), but also in the form of tbe discoidal false vein, which is in the 
new species much more sinuate and more aj)proximated aplcally to the 
radial vein ; further differences are to be found in tbe broader rounded 
hind margin of tbe pronotum and tbe more attenuate bind angles of its 
lateral lobes, 
Tbe general coloration, of course, varies considerabl}', as does also 
tbe band of the wings, which may, probably, disappear altogether ; the 
apical lobes of the wings are in the males either infumate or with 
distinctly darkened veins and veinlets. 
Farad yymadusa annuUcornis, sp. n. (Fig. 2.) 
J. Antennae slender, very long. Pronotum rounded, with but very 
short and obtuse lateral keels near its hind margin, which is very broadly 
rotundato-truucate ; lateral lobes obliquely trapezoidal; their fore margin 
straight, oblique, forming a very obtuse and rounded angle with the lower 
margin which is short aud straight ; hind angle more obtuse and more widely 
rounded than the fore angle ; hind margin strongly oblique, very long, scarcely 
sinuate. Prosternum with two short obtuse spines. Mesosternal lobes 
triangular, with the sides distinctly convex. Front femora armed with three 
spiuules along the fore lower margin and with two short spinules on the inner 
[April, 
knee-lobe 5 front tibiae with three spines along the upper side and with six 
spines on each margin of the lower side. Middle femora with three spiuules 
on the fore lower carina ; the outer knee-lobes with two and the inner ones 
with only one short spinule. Hind femora very long, strongly incrassate in 
the basal half ; their filiform part longer than one-third of the whole femur ; 
both lower carinae with 10-12 fairly strong spinules each ; the knee-lobes 
unarmed. Elytra short, oval; the tympanal field strongly reticulate, coria- 
ceous throughout. Anal segment (fig. 2) produced into two narrow conical 
appendages, rotundato-emarginate between them. Supra-anal plate almost 
hidden under the anal segment, directed vertically downwards, acutely 
triangular, sulcate along its middle. Cerci pilose, short, depressed dorso- 
Fig. 2. — Paradrymadusa aiinidico7-nis. sp. n. 
ventrally, conical, slightly incurved, with a strongly flattened trapezoidal 
tooth just beyond the middle (fig. 2). Subgenital plate with an acute 
triangular emargination ; styli short, cylindrical. 
General coloration uniform brownish-ochraceous. Antennae pale with 
indistinct brownish rings basally, and brownish with widely distant narrow 
pale rings in the rest. Pronotum above rufous, somewhat velvety ; its hind 
margin pale, with brown points. Elytra uniformly brownish, with the 
cellules between the reticulation of a somewhat darker shade. All spinules 
of the legs with brown tips. 
Length of body 33 mm. ; pronotum 11 mm. ; elytra 6'5 mm. ; front femur 
10 mm. ; hind femur 34 mm. 
The paratypic female in the last larval stage agrees in all cliaracters 
with the described male ; its ovipositor is slightly recui-ved, and the 
dimensions are as follows: length of body (somewhat contracted) 
23 mm. ; pronotum 11 mm. ; liind femur 29 mm, ; ovij^ositor 16 mm. 
1922.] 89 
The type is from Haifa, Palestine, 14. vii. 1921 ; the ])aratype from 
the same locality, 12. vi. 1921. 
This species is easily recognised b}^ the very peculiar shape of the 
male cerci, as well as by the coloration, especially that of the antennae. 
London. 
January 19i'2. 
SPHEC0DE8 8CABRIC0LLI8 Wesm. IN SOMEESET, AND DESCRIPTION 
OF 2 OF S. KERSHAWI Peek. 
BY E. C. L. PERKINS, M.A., D.SC, F.B.S. 
In this Magazine for 1917 (p. 47) I brought forward S. scahricoUis 
Wesm. as British on the evidence of a S in the Kirby collection, where 
it stood in the series of S. divisiis K. {siinilis Wesm.). This specimen 
was no doubt obtained about 120 years ago, and in the great number of 
British Sphecodes that have passed through my hands I have seen no 
other, nor is there any i-ecord of another. 
Recently amongst some Hymenoptera sent to me for determination 
by Col. T. Jermyn I found a fine 5 Sphecodes which was evidently 
new to me, and I have little doubt that this is the other sex of the 
scahricoUis in Kirby's collection. 
8. scali'icollis is one of the rarest of European Sphecodes, and 
the 2 is very imperfectly known. Dr. E.. Meyer, in his recent work on 
the genus, suspects that v. Hagens confused this sex with that of the 
almost equally rare S. schenJcii, the descriptions of these being almost 
identical, and he himself did not know the 5 of scahricoUis. 
The following is a description of the Somerset specimen : — 
Size of -S. pellucidus (pilifrons), black, the apical part of the mandibles red, 
the last tarsal joint of all the legs more or less testaceous. The two basal 
abdominal segments are red and a basal spot is visible on each side of the third, 
which, like the preceding, is red beneath. Face very wide, the temples very 
strongly rounded off behind the eyes, much as in giihus, the clypeus dull and 
less coarsely punctured thiiu in that species ; antennae blackish fuscous beneath, 
hardly at all inclined to rufescence. The front and vertex of the head are very 
roughly sculptured, in some aspects appearing very rugose, but in others the 
dense punctures causing the rugosity are easily seen, though they are very 
much less definite and deep than those of the mesonotum, and the head is quite 
dull as compared with the latter. Face beneath the antennae densely clothed 
with pale hairs, mesonotum and vertex more thinly with finer, erect ones, 
amongst which there appear to be a few darker hairs intermixed. Mesonotum 
in the middle with coarse, deep punctures, more or less irregular, and leaving 
considerable, smooth, polished spaces between them, but where they are close 
I