June, igio.] CoCKERELL : AUSTRALIAN BeES IN BERLIN MuSEUM. Ill 



Megachile nasuta argentifer, new subspecies. 



Female. — Length a little over 12 mm., parallel sided, black, with the pale 

 pubescence white, the first two segments of abdomen with white hair (only 

 first in nasuta), the others with short black hair; a large round patch of orange- 

 ferruginous hair on the last segment, invading the apical margin of the 

 penultimate one ; ventral scopa entirely silvery-white, with a slight creamy 

 tint (pale fulvous in nasuta). The great clypeal prominence is as described 

 for nasuta, except that its margin is only very feebly crenulate. The eyes are 

 reddish, and diverge below. The wings have the apical field dilute brown. 



Habitat. — Melbourne, Victoria (Rollc). Berlin Museum. There 

 is a superficial resemblance to M. hcnrici Ckll., especially when the 

 insects are seen from behind. 

 Megachile preissi, new species. 



Female. — Length about 8 mm., evidently very close to M. clypeata Smith, 

 but apparently distinct by its larger size, distinctly dusky (though not dark) 

 wings, femora and anterior tibiae ferruginous in front, abdomen very dark 

 reddish, the extremely dense punctures of head and thorax above minute ; the 

 abdomen also has very narrow but entire marginal hair-bands. There is short 

 orange-ferruginous hair on the vertical apical segment, also invading the 

 hinder part of the penultimate one. The ventral scopa is entirely white. 

 Eyes brown, slightly converging below ; sides of face with spreading white 

 hair, middle with brown hair ; clypetis overlapped by long brown hairs, beneath 

 which is white hair ; clypeus with a median tooth and a large process on each 

 side ; mandibles bidentate, sulcate, reddened subapically, flagellum red beneath ; 

 tegiilre dark red ; second s. m. very long ; b. n. falling only a little short of 

 t. m. ; hair on inner side of hind tarsi orange-fulvous ; base of abdomen 

 broadly excavated, the basin with a distinct rim. 



Habitat. — Eastern Australia (Prciss). Berlin Museum, 1008. 

 Megachile adelaidae, new species. 



Female. — Length 10 mm., black, with mostly pale pubescence; a small 

 ordinary-looking species, the specimens not in very good condition, but 

 presenting the following distinctive characters : head large and broad ; eyes 

 greyish ; front and vertex very densely punctured ; mandibles deep red, 

 tridentate ; clypeus densely punctured, with more or less of a smooth ridge on 

 its upper part ; flagellum bright ferruginous beneath ; mesothorax and scutellum 

 extremely densely punctured ; mesothorax a pair of small spots of white hair 

 anteriorly ; a little patch of white hair above base of wings ; metathorax and 

 pleura with much white hair ; area of metathorax granular, with a median 

 raised line ; tegulse dark reddish ; wings clear, a little reddish, nervures and 

 stigma ferruginous ; legs dark brown, with pale hair, that on inner side of 

 tarsi yellowish ; abdomen cordiform, last segment not vertical, segments with 

 whitish or ochreous bands, not always distinct ; sides of apical segments with 

 long black hair ; ventral scopa white, black on last segment ; hind spurs dark. 



