134 GENERA OF HYMENOPTERA. 



are subject to the attacks of Sti/lo]).% a curious little coleopterous para- 

 site, the females of which are apterous, grub-like insects which never 

 leave the bodies of the bees, and whose presence is known by the 

 protrusion of her head between the u])pcr seuincnts of the abdomen. 



Sj)hecode-^ is easily I'ecoi^nized by the smooth, [)olislie(l abdomen, 

 which is generally of a red color. Some authors have ])laced this 

 genus among the parasites, but the late Frederick Smith, who made 

 the study of the Anthophila a specialty, says that the result of his 

 observations has led to the conclusion that no species of the An- 

 drenidse is parasitic. 



The species of Ai(f/ocJdora and Agaposfemon are the most brilliant 

 of our bees, being coloi'ed with metallic blue and green. 



The genera Nomia and Eanomia are very closely allied, and are 

 remai'kable for the curious manner in which the legs of the males 

 are dilated, curved and spined. 



The species belonging to the Apidse have been recently catalogued 

 in a pa])er on that family published in the seventh volume of these 

 Transactions, but with the study of a large amount of material, the 

 luimber of species will doubtless be much reduced, and some be more 

 })ro])erly referred to genera not yet characterized or recognized as 

 inhabiting our fauna. 



The genera Panurgiis, Calliopsis and Perdita, have been made the 

 receptacle for a miniher of species which do not properly belong to 

 eitlier of those genera, and have been placed there provisionally 

 until more abundant material can be obtained, when a more careful 

 study may be made of their characters. 



The species belonging to Noinada have been called " Wasp-bees" 

 on account of their close resend)lance in their gay coloring to the 

 smaller wasps. The genus is represented in our fauna by a large 

 number of species, over sixty, which, however, show great variation 

 in coloring and markings ; the apex of the abdomen is truncate in 

 the 9 and acute in the S . They are parasitic on the species of 

 ILdidm and Andrena. 



The geiuis Epeolm is easily recognized by the cinereous or yellow- 

 ish bands of depressed pubescence on the alxlomen, tlie :i])e.\ of which 

 is acute in the % and obtuse in the $ ; they are said to l)e parasitic 

 on the species of Colletes. 



Ericrocis is a new genus formed for the reception of Orodmf lata 

 Cress., a short, broad, Epeohis-Wka species from Texas. 



