226 [March, 



my knowledge, not been noticed by any author, the species itself, as is well known, 

 being rather subject to variation in regard to colour. In my specimens, the elytra are 

 entirely metallic-blue, with the exception of a narrow, more or less distinct, oblique, 

 fulvous stripe from the shoulder to the suture below the middle, the extreme lateral 

 and sutural margin being of the same colour anteriorly. The central black spot of 

 the thorax is reduced to a small and narrow line. Every other character agrees 

 with the typical form, the only one to which this variety can be referred on account 

 of the indication given by the fulvous stripe, of the original pattern of the elytra, 

 and the central thoracic spot. In one specimen, the elytral stripe also has vanished, 

 and the elytra are uniform blue, with the exception of their lateral edge. Size, 

 colour of the under-side, as well as structure, are absolutely as in the type. 



Melasoma nigritarsis, sp. no v. 



Testaceous ; last six joints of the antennae and the tarsi, black ; 

 tibiae more or less piceous ; thorax very minutely, elytra more strongly 

 punctured, their lateral margin thickened. Length, 3 — 4 lines. 



Hah. : Delagoa Bay, Africa (collected by Mrs. Monteiro). 

 Head with a deep triangular depression, very finely punctured when seen under 

 a strong lens ; anteuneo scarcely reaching beyond the base of the thorax, the terminal 

 joints transverse, five basal joints fulvous, the rest black ; thorax more than twice as 

 broad as long, anterior margin deeply concave, surface scarcely visibly punctured, 

 a little more distinctly at the sides, where a row of longitudinal, rather deep, punc- 

 tures is placed close to the lateral margin ; elytra with the lateral margin distinctly 

 thickened through their entire length, their surface closely and rather strongly 

 punctured. 



This species seems closely allied to M. Uvida, Stal, but diifers in 

 the colour of the tibiae and tarsi, the more transversely shaped thorax, 

 and its fine punctuation. 



London : January/, 1885. 



LITTLE KNOWN BRITISH ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA. 

 BY EDWAED SAUNDEES, F.L.S. 



Under this heading, in the Magazine for last May (vol. xx, p. f tie 

 270), I called the attention of Hymenopterists to several rare and 

 doubtful species, about which further information was much needed. 

 Such information has come to hand in a few cases, as the result of last 

 season's collecting, and the questions relating to the following species 

 have been thereby partly cleared up. 



1. POMPILUS PECTINIPES, V. d. L., ^ . 



I captured at Chobham, in August, two males, which, following 

 the views of AYesmael and Thomson, are clearly referable to this 



l»iiro: 



> 



