28 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Jan., 



SOME AUSTRALIAN BEES. 

 BY T. D. A. COCKERELL. 



In 1904 there were 222 species of native bees known frora Aus- 

 tralia. At the present moment (January, 1913) there are 583, 

 if we include the species described below and 24 others sent for 

 publication but not actually published at the time of writing. 

 Even this comparatively large number must represent but a small 

 minority of the species actually existing, as many districts have 

 never been examined for bees, and every new collection contains a 

 considerable percentage of undescribed forms. The best-explored 

 district is the region about Mackay, Queensland, which was for many 

 years the hunting ground of Rowland and Gilbert Turner. The 

 vicinity of Sydney has furnished a large number of species; many 

 also come from Melbourne and the region round about. Mr. S. W. 

 Fulton has recently collected a most remarkable series of minute 

 bees at Purnong and Croydon, all new. These belong to Prosopid 

 genera, but simulate our American species of Perdita, and probably 

 have similar flower-visiting habits. One (Euryglossina sulphurella 

 Ckll.) is light yellow like certain of our Perdita species, and presum- 

 ably visits some flower of that color; possibly, in Australia, it would 

 be some Mimosa-like plant. 



Australia (including Tasmania) is known to have 47 genera of 

 bees. This number would be increased if we added some of the 

 recent segregates, proposed principally by Perkins. The genera 

 Euprosopis and Gnathoprosopis of Perkins seem distinct in their 

 typical members, and I have described species under them; but 

 a perfectly satisfactory dismemberment of Australian Prosopis 

 is hardly possible as yet. It cannot be doubted that eventually 

 both Prosopis and Euryglossa, as represented in Australia, will 

 be divided to form additional new genera. 



The Australian genera may be grouped as follows, the number 

 of species being given in each case: 



(1) Endemic (Precinctive) genera: BinghamieUa (1), Parasphecodes 

 (34), Pachyprosopis (12), Stilpnosoma (1), Meroglossa (15), 

 Callomelitta (2), Trichocolletes (1), Goniocolletes (1), Cladocer- 

 apis (1), Andrenopsis (1), Phenacolletes (1), Anthoglossa (4), 



