280 



BRITISH BEES. 



clavate, first joint of flagellum globose, the remainder sub- 

 equal ; face flat ; clypeus triangular, truncated at its base, 

 slightly rounded in front and convex ; labrum longitu- 

 dinally oblong, the sides parallel and concavo-convex ; 

 mandibles dilated at the apex, where they are quinque- 

 dentate; the alternate teeth smallest ; cibarial apparatus 

 long ; tongue very long, tapering to its extremity ; para- 

 gloss^ very short, one-sixth the length of the tongue, 

 coadunate at the base and subhastate ; labial palpi more 

 than half the length of the tongue, the two first joints 

 very long, the second the longest, and both tapering to 

 the acute extremity of this, where, just before its apex, 

 the third very short subclavate joint articulates with 

 the still shorter terminal joint conterminous with it ; 

 labium one-third the length of the tongue, its inoscula- 

 tion with an acute projection in the centre ; maxillae as 

 long as the tongue, subhastate and acuminate; maxil- 

 lary palpi springing from a deep sinus at its base, very 

 short, two-jointed, the basal joint the shortest, and the 

 second obtuse one terminating with a few rigid setee 

 THORAX subglobose ; prothorax inconspicuous ; mesa- 

 thorax slightly convex, wing-scales large ; scutellum lunu- 

 late, projecting and impending over the metathorax, which 

 is truncated; wings with two submarginal cells, and 

 a third indistinctly commenced, the second slightly the 

 longest, and receiving the two recurrent nervures one at 

 each extremity; legs moderate, subsetose, the tibiee 

 fimbriated along the edges, the anterior spurs slightly 

 palmated ; the plantas of the four anterior pairs longer 

 than their tibiss, but those of the posterior not quite so 

 long, and all densely clothed all round with a brush of 

 short close hair ; the claws distinctly bifid. ABDOMEN 

 semicircular, very convex ; the base truncated and hoi- 



