138 BULLETIN 31, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



fourth vein, clouding the crossveiua ; the outer part of the first vein 

 and the tip of the auxiliary are yellow. 



Schiuer {I. c.) compared the type of Maximiliani Jaeu., and asserted 

 it to be the same as mexicana^ and, moreover, that both this and dispar 

 Macq. were varieties of esuriem Fab. Structurally they are all alike, 

 but the color in esuriens is more brownish. I have examined a large 

 number of specimens from California (Coquillett), Arizona (Comstock), 

 Texas, and Florida (Eiley), and find them all quite uniform in colora- 

 tion, hence it seems to be advisable to retain the varietal name. 



Volucella Comstocki, n. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 9.) 

 Habitat. — Arizona, New Mexico! 



S ,9 . Length, 12«»"i. Face nearly perpendicular in profile, scarcely at 

 all excavated below the anteunje, shining bluish black, with long, rather 

 abundant, black pile; front like the face, with black pile, sides nearly 

 parallel ; frontal triangle prominent, with longer black pile. Antennae 

 brownish-black, the third joint in the male only a little narrowed be- 

 yond tlie middle, the basal portion scarcely half as wide again, in the 

 female twice as wide as on its narrowest part; arista but little longer 

 than the joint, loosely plumose. Eyes thickly pilose. Thorax deep 

 shining blackish blue, with rather abundant, moderately long, black 

 pile. Scutellum deep chestnut on its disk, with black pile. Abdomen 

 brilliant dark blue, with short black pile, longer on the terminal seg- 

 ments. Legs black, black pilose. Wings hyaline with a small brown 

 spot at the tip of the auxiliary vein, faintly clouded on the outer i)art 

 and posterior border. 



'Two specimens from Arizona (Professor Comstock), and one from 

 New Mexico (G. F. Gaumer). 



Volucella Anna, u. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 8.) 



Habitat. — Arizona ! 



S . Length, 14"^'". Face chestnut-colored, shining bluish-black on its 

 lower part and on the cheeks, below the antennae faintly dusted with 

 white; sub-anteunal excavation slight, the convexity of the middle not 

 prominent, but greater than in V. ComstocM. Antennie red, third joint 

 moderately expanded near the base. Eyes pilose with rather short i)ile. 

 Thorax deep shining bluish-black, with black pile. Scutellum chestnut- 

 colored on its upper surface, with black pile and a row of black bristly 

 hairs on its border. Abdomen deep blue, with a coppery reflection, 

 clothed with short black pile, longer on the posterior segments. Legs 

 black. Wings hyaline, costal and subcostal cells brown, nearly black 

 at the base; a small blackish spot at the tip of the auxiliary vein, a 

 narrow brown cloud on the furcation of the second and third veins, the 

 anterior cross-vein and cross-veins at base of discal and posterior 

 cells. 



One specimen. 



