124 MELITTA. (**. c.) 



basi spirit filiformi deorsum spectantearmatae(^), 

 GeneB postic^ rectangulae. AntenrnE nigrae, 

 thoracis fere longitiidine, articulis arcuatis. 

 Truncus. Squamulce picedd. ^/^ hyalinae, irl- 

 colores, apice obscuriores ; nems, excepto 

 costali interiore fusco, testaceis. Pedes gri- 

 sescente-hirti, digitis ferrugineis. Scopulce 

 flavescunt. 

 Abdomen lanceolatum, nitidum, pilosum; seg- 

 mentis tribus anticis margine rufo-membra-. 

 naceis. 

 Var. /3 minor, capita, respectu thoracis, minori ; 

 maxillis brevioribus; thoracis hirsutie sordide 

 grised. 

 This is one of the most singular insects of this 

 genus that I have ever seen. Its long, forcipate 

 maxilla?, and large black head, give it a very fero- 

 cious aspect. The spine which arms the base of 

 the maxillae is, probably, only a sexual distinction. 

 "I do not find it described by any author ; or if it 

 be, the spines, its most striking characteristic, 

 are overlooked. In Sir Joseph Banks's cabinet it 

 stands as Apis helvola, it is the right-hand specimen. 



armata. 64. M. nigra, cinerascentc-villosa ; maxillis longi- 

 tudine capitis, basi dente armatis. 



Apis armata fuscaj capite, thoraceque griseis; maxilli 



basi dente armat^ ; plantis luteis. 

 Mas. Lesk. p. 80. n. 514. 

 Lin. Sysl. Nat. ed. Gmcl. p. 27QO. n. 167. 



(e)Tab.4. **. c. fig. 8. a. 



MUS. 



