^IQ MELITTA. (**. c.) 



Truncus. Thoracis piibes rufa. Squaviulce. 

 piceac. Al^ subhyalinae, nervis testaceis, cos- 

 tali interiore nigro. Anastomosis ferruginea. 

 Pedes nigri, supra ex pilis fu?ci, subtus tamen 

 pili fulvescunt. Feworum lana pallida. Tibia 

 poticae scopa densa fulvd undique obsitae, 

 Scopulce ferrugineae. 



Abdomen ovale, supra nigro-apnenm, fulvesT 

 cente-subhirsutum, ano atro. Venter con- 

 vexus, per fascias hirtus. 



Var. ,e. minor, facie, circa basin antennarum, 



hirsutie sordide fulv^. 

 Maris Fades ut in varietate ^. Antenna tho- 

 racis longitudine. Maxilla basi obtusangulae. 

 Pedes fulvo-hirti. Abdomen ovatum. 

 Var. .: faciei hirsutie rufescenti. 



Obs. Abdominis color nigro-aneus, tJim hnjus 

 turn pracedentis speciei, ex pilis, qui tamen 

 seorsiim fulvescunt, exoritur ; pilis eniTi^ 

 ahrasis, abdomen Jit nigrum. 

 This insect approaches nearer to the Apis cunir 

 cularia of Linneus, than any other English species 

 with which I am acquainted : but it is sufficiently 

 flistinguished from it, by its black head and anus, 

 and the form and colour of its abdomen. It is re- 

 markable that the black abdomen should receive, 

 from the tavvney hairs which cover it, a nigro-aene- 

 ous tinge. 



Upon this insect I discovered, last spring, a very 

 singular aaimal, which seems appropriated to the 



present 



