310 HYMENOPTERA. 



but as the teeth which arm the apex of the abdomen are not 

 mentioned by Say, it becomes doubtful. 



3. Melissodes obliqua,-*—" "^ — B.M. 

 Macrocera obliqua. Say, Bost. Journ. i. 403. 1. 



Hab. North America (Indiana). 



4. Melissodes nigra. - ■ " - 



Macrocera nigra, St. Farg. Hym. ii. 1 12. 27. 

 Hab. North America. (Coll. F. Smith.) 



5. Melissodes desponsa. ^. ._..,-,.>^ ' B.M. 



Female. Length 6 lines, — Black, the pubescence on the head 

 and thorax ochraceous; the flagellum, except the three basal 

 joints, testaceovis beneath, the clypeus strongly punctured and 

 having a little dark fuscous pubescence ; the apex of the man- 

 dibles pale testaceous yellow; the wings subhyaline, the nervm'es 

 ferruginous ; the pubescence on the body and legs beneath en- 

 tirely black; the base of the abdomen has a little ochraceous 

 pubescence, beyond which it is black, as it is also on the anterior 

 and intermediate legs above, on the posterior tibiae, and at the 

 base of the first joint of the posterior tarsi above, pale fulvous, 

 the claw-joint of all the tarsi dark ferruginous ; the margins of 

 the segments of the abdomen beneath rufo-testaceous. 



Hab. North America (Ohio). 



Var. The wings fuscous, and the fourth segment of the abdo- 

 men having on its apical margin laterally, a short white fringe. 

 This is probably the female of " Americana,'' both sexes having 

 been received from the same locality. 



6. Melissodes atriventris. """^ B.M. 



Male. Length 6 lines. — Black, the clypeus and labrum yellow, 

 the pubescence on the head and thorax ochraceous, that on the 

 face and metathorax palest ; the legs have a similar pubescence, 

 the apical joints of the tarsi rufo-testaceous; the wings sub- 

 hyaline, the nervures testaceous, the tegulas pale testaceous ; the 

 base of the abdomen clothed with pale ochraceous pubescence, 

 beyond which it is entirely black, beneath it is of the same 

 colour; the entire apical margins of the segments rufo-testaceous, 

 the abdomen having a slight aeneous tinge. 



Hab. North America ? 



