1906.] 205 



Coelioxys mandibalarls, JNyl. (Knt. Mo. Mtiy., ixxvii, p. LG7). 



Mr. Willoughby Gardner firt>t sent me a ? of this species for 

 identification in 1901 ; it was talten by Mr. Frank Birch at Wallasey, 

 Cheshire, in July, 1900, and subsequently Mr. Gardner found a ? in 

 his own collection, which he had taken in July, 1891. Col. Yerbury 

 took a $ at Porthcawl, Wales, in August, 1903. 



Closely allied to elongata, Lep., and acuminata, Nyl., but ratlier smaller than 

 either. Calcaria black in both sexes ; in the J the 2nd abdominal segment is 

 densely clothed with velvety pubescence above the lateral transverse fovea, 5th 

 ventral segment without any central emargination. 



The 9 may be known by the form of the mandibles. These are produced on 

 their anterior side near the centre into a distinct angle, just above the base of the 

 apical groove. The mandibles are densely clothed with hairs and consequently the 

 angle is easily overlooked. The best way to see it is to turn the insect on its back, 

 and to examine the mandibles from behind. Beyond the form of the mandibles, 

 the black calcaria, the widely interrupted abdominal bands forming triangular 

 iateral spots, the rather less remote puncturation, the narrower apical ventral valve 

 which has less distinct lateral teeth, and the narrowly interrupted ventral bands 

 are probably reliable characters. 



Osmia Jcaiana^ Kirb. =fulviventris, Smith, Saund., &c., nee. Pauz. ? 

 The continental authors all refer ftdvivcnfris, Pz., to the species 

 found in Middle and South Europe, and which lias the clypeus in 

 the ? regularly emargiuate, at the apex, and our species is known 

 generally to them as solskyi, Mor. Mr. Morice some years ago 

 discovered that our species was not the fulcioentrls of the Continent, 

 and on his authority Ducke in his monograph of Osmia has correctly 

 referred soLskiji to leaiana. The males of the two species are hardly 

 separable, and 1 still feel some little doubt if both are not forms of 

 one species, and also as to which is the true fidviventris, Panz. 



Osmia parietina, Curt., nee. Smith, Saund., &c. (Eut. Mo. Mag., 

 xxxvi, p. 51). 

 This distinct species, although originally described and figured 

 in Curtis' " British Entomology," remained misunderstood in this 

 country until a few years ago. Curtis' type went out to Australia in 

 his collection. F. Smith probably never saw it, and referred quite 

 a different species to Curtis' name. The present writer omitted to 

 look up the original figure and fell into the t^ame error as Smith. 

 The continental authors, however, have always rightly interpreted 

 Curtis, which makes the omission the less excusable. The true 

 parietina of Curtis had not been recorded since Curtis' time until 



