Robertson — North American Bees. 355 



may be easily distinguished from the palest males of M. 

 agilis. 



Carliaville, Illinois ; 13 §, 15 $ specimens. 



MELISSODES PENNSYLVANIA Lep. 



Macrocera pennsylvanica Lepeletier, Hist. Ins. Hym. II, 97, <5\ 1841. 

 Melissodes dentiventris Provancher, Addit. Faun. Ent. Can. Hym., 299, 



<?$, 1888. 



Carlinville, Illinois; 37 §, 26 $ specimens; Pa. (Lep.), 

 Can. (Prov.). 



In size and color the female very closely resembles that of 

 31. agilis. The wings not whitish, the nervures darker, the 

 front and middle legs and ventral surface of abdomen with 

 the pubescence largely black. The male may be distinguished 

 from that of M. agilis by the pubescence more fulvous, ner- 

 vures darker, no spot on mandibles, margins of abdominal 

 segments not pale testaceous. 



Melissodes confusa Cress. 



Melissodes confusa Cresson, Proc. Acad. Sci. Phil. 1878, 205, %tf. 

 Melissodes ruidosensis Cockerell, The Entomologist, 1896, 305, <j\ 



I have compared the description of the latter with a type 

 specimen of M. confusa sent for examination, by Mr. Fox. 

 There is no difference whatever except that the New Mexican 

 insect has black hairs on base of dorsal segments. The type 

 shows a slight indication of black hairs here, while on the 

 scutellum and posterior disc of mesonotum black hairs are 

 present. The female shows black hairs on the thorax above 

 and base of abdominal segments. The presence of similar 

 hairs in the male only increases the probability that they 

 belong together. Cockerell's description of the sixth segment 

 of abdomen is exact for the male type specimen of M. con- 

 fusa before me. 



Melissodes simillima. 



§. — Differs from the female of the preceding by its some- 

 what smaller size and the more abundant admixture of black 

 pubescence, the abdominal fasciae narrower, less white, that 

 of the fourth segments often strongly mixed with fuscous; 

 flap-ellum dull ferruginous beneath. Length 10-11 mm. 



