534 



AVIDM. 



wing with the radial cell elongate, acute at apex ; three cubital cells, 

 the 3rd longest, 2nd subtriangular, the inner angle produced ; the 

 ]st recurrent nervure interstitial with the 2nd transverse cubital 

 nervure, the 3rd cubital cell receives the 2nd recurrent nervure 

 about tlie middle ; anterior and intermediate tibiae with one apical 

 spur, flat and obliquely truncate at apex on the anterior tibiae ; 



Fig. 181. 

 Xi/locopa dissimilis, § . 



cJ. 1, posterior leg ; 2, face from 

 front ; 3, inaudible. 



posterior tibifB and tarsi always densely pubescent, the former with 

 two simple spines at apex ; legs of male generally elongate, the 

 posterior femora sometimes curved and subdentate below. Abdomen 

 either elongate or broad and flat, fringed with long hairs on the 

 sides of the segments. 



(Several species of Xylocopa are among the commonest insects 

 in India and Burma, often coming into houses with a loud 

 buzzing : in thatched houses they frequently bore into the bamboos 

 laid below the thatch, cutting neat round holes as entrances to 

 their nests. Their jaws must be very powerful, as I have seen the 

 iron-wood posts in the veranda of a house in Burma riddled with 

 the holes made by X. laiipes; the insects were going in and out 

 all day long with pollen. X. rufescens is crepuscular, on fine 

 moonhght nights its loud buzzing can be often heard all night 

 long. The males of all the species generally poise themselves on 

 the most conspicuous point of a branch, awaiting the females. 



Key to the Species. 

 Females. 



A. With blaclv or sooty-brown pubescence. 



a. Length 30 mm. and over. 



a'. IScape of antennte distinctly flattened 



and broad at apex 



b'. Scape of antennae cylindrical 



b. Length under 30 mm. 



fl'. Wings fuscous with rich copper)- 

 bronze effulgence, not blue or green. 



X 

 X 



latjpes, p. 536. 

 te)mtscapa, p. 537. 



