1896.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 77 



Legs dark brown with the tarsi testaceous ; anterior and middle 

 tibiae in front, and corresponding knees, dull yellow. Abdomen 

 above and below dark reddish-brown, without markings. 



Hab. — California, collector and exact locality unknown ; sent by 

 Mr. Fox. One specimen, known by the yellowish wings, abdomen 

 Avithout markings, etc. 



Two species described by F. Smith, exact locality and habits unknown. 



32. Perdita halictoides Sm., Br. Mus. Cat., Vol. I, p. 128, (1853). $ (Hab. North 

 America). 



The description indicates that this species is similar to P. semiero- 

 cea, but differs in having the nervures fuscous (in semicrocea they 

 are colorless), the abdomen dark testaceous, and the legs rufotesta- 

 ceous with the tarsi pale. 



33. Perdita bicolor (Sm.). 



Macrotera bicolor Sm., Br. Mus. Cat., Vol. I, p. 130, (1853). "9" (Hab. Mexico). 



The description shows that this species is twice as large as the 

 last, the head and thorax black and the abdomen ferruginous, more 

 or less fuscous at base. It might, perhaps, be confused with M. texana, 

 but the abdomen is elongate-ovate and the mandibles are rounded at 

 their apex, simple. The wing nervures are ferruginous. P. texana 

 has a ferruginous abdomen only in the i . 



As the description of this insect did not enable me to ascertain 

 definitely whether it belonged to the group (or genus) of P. texana 

 = megacephala and P. latior, I applied to Mr. E. A. Smith, of the 

 British Museum, asking him to kindly examine his father's type, 

 and report on certain points specified. He handed my letter to Lt. 

 Col. Bingham, who very kindly examined the typical specimen, and 

 reported as follows : 



" 1. The type is a ^ , not a 9 . It has the two basal segments fus- 

 cous, the 3d and following segments ferruginous, with the apical one, 

 which is very small and somewhat hidden by the fimbria of pale 

 hairs on the posterior margin of the 6th segment, black. 



" 2. The mandibles are deeply grooved on the outside from near 

 the base to the apex, which, however, does not appear to be bifid. 



"3. The figure of the marginal cell given in Part I, pi. V, f. 22, 

 of Smith's Catalogue, is fairly good, the cell may be a little more 

 obliquely truncate at apex, perhaps. 



" 4. From Cresson's description of 31. megacephala $ , Smith's 

 type of bicolor difiers as noted above in the basal segments of the 



