Vol. XXXl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 39 



GENERIC POSITION OF HALICTUS TEXANUS 



As shown by the synonymy, this bee has been referred to 

 various genera by different writers. The manner of pollen 

 collecting permits a reduction of scopa which may account 

 for its being originally placed in Sphecodes. Ashmead created 

 the new genus, Sphecodogastra, for it on account of the enlarged 

 ocelli. Ducke has referred it to Megalopta Smith, together 

 w r ith about a dozen little known South American species. 



If we reduce Evylaeus, Chloralictus, etc., to subgenera I 

 think Sphecodogastra also should be reduced. Except for the 

 large ocelli it would not be separated from Evylaeus. This 

 character has been associated with its crepuscular habits and 

 similar examples in other genera cited. The other species 

 here discussed, however, do not show such a character altho 

 they have similar habits; it may be noted also that the bum- 

 blebees of the subgenus Bombias have larger ocelli than those 

 of the subgenus Bombns. Ducke separated Megalopta from 

 Halictus on the characters of enlarged ocelli and night flying 

 habit, altho he does not separate Agapostemon, Augochlora and 

 other groups. Such disposition seems scarcely tenable. 



The ocelli of texanus are about twice the diameter of those 

 of other Halicti of similar size. Those of aberrans, oenotherae 

 and swenki seem a trifle larger but not appreciably so. I have 

 examined several species (females) with the following results. 



Approximate lateral diameter of anterior ocellus: 



H. texanus (Cress.) 400 microns H. forbesi Rob. 200 microns 

 H. aberrans Cwfd. 200-220 microns H. swenki Cwfd. 180 microns 

 H. oenotherae Stevens 200 microns H. ligatus Say. 150-200 microns 

 H. lerouxii Lep. 180-200 microns H. provancheri DT. 150 microns 



VISITS OF HALICTUS TEXANUS TO FLOWERS. 



I had been very much interested in Graenicher's account 

 (Bui. Pub. Mus. of Milwaukee, v. I, pp. 222-225, 1911) of the 

 unusual habits of Sphecodogastra, and an opportunity to verify 

 them came on June 20, 1919, at Blue Rapids, Kansas. I 

 found many females sucking nectar at flowers of Allionia 

 nyctaginea. The time was not noted but must have been 

 about an hour before sunset. The principal evening prim- 



