120 MELITTA. (**. c.) 



Ab DOMES' subovatum, piloso-incanum, basi hir- 

 suto-fulvLim. Fenter albido-hirtus, ano fla- 

 vescenti. 



Var. corporis hirsutie subflav^ ; plantis nigrls. 



Maris Corpus cinereo-villosum Caput thorace 

 raajus. Maxill(e basi obtusangulae. Antennae 

 thorace breviores, articulis subarcuatis. Squa- 

 mulcB piceae. Digiti ferruginei. Abdomen 

 ovato-lanceolatum, basi hirsuto-cinerascens, 

 segmentis margine obscure rufis. 



This is the labelled Apis hehola of the Linnean 

 cabinet; there are several specimens of the insect 

 which 1 shall next describe placed by its side, which 

 probably Linneus considered as nothing more than 

 varieties of it. The description in the Fauna Sue- 

 cica seems to have been taken from one of these ; 

 for the terms " Ahdojnen vigricans minus villosum. 

 Tibice postiae lana ferriigineu" will not agree with 

 the genuine A. helvola, and vice versa, the last 

 term of the nomen specificum in the Systema Na- 

 turae, " subtus albida" does not coincide with this 

 supposed variety, which underneath is of a deep 

 black. At first sight, the abdomen of this insect 

 looks as if half the tawny hairs had been rubbed 

 off, and only a patch of them left at its base; but 

 this circumstance constantly attends the most re- 

 cent individuals. 



Gwijncnado. M. atra, villosa; thorace, abdomine antic^j 

 tibiisque posticis scopa, ferrugineis. 



