SOME BEES COLLECTED IN WEST AFRICA. 35 



Ceratina geigerice, sp. nov. 

 $ . Length about 74 mm. (8 with head thrust forward) ; black ; 

 strongly and very densely punctured, including the disc of the meso- 

 thorax ; wings strongly darkened ; clypeus with a broad dull yellow 

 band ; tubercles yellow ; a cream-coloured stripe on anterior femora 

 beneath, and the Ijasal half of their tibiee above, and a very small spot 

 at base of hind tibiae ; no distinct keel on apical segment of abdo- 

 men ; hind margins of segments punctured ; apex a broad triangle. 



In Friese's table of African Ceratina it runs to C. sulcata, 

 which I have from Dr. Brauns. It is, indeed, very close to 

 sulcata, but differs from the South African species by the clypeal 

 mark being rounded above, not expanded laterally, the absence 

 of a shining space just above the sides of the clypeus, the darker 

 flagellum, and the smaller size. The middle of the clypeus is 

 not distinctly sulcate, as it is in sulcata. 



C. lineola, Vacbal, from Delagoa Bay, must also be very 

 similar, but its wings are scarcely infumated. It is also a little 

 smaller. 



Hah. Chiyaka, Benguella, West Africa ; at flowers of 

 Geigeria, September 1st, 1907 (F. C. Wellman, 1241, part). 

 Geigeria is a genus of Compositae. 



Gronoceras nigrocincta (Eits.). 

 Chiyaka, Benguella, September 1st, 1907 ; one female found 

 dead in a spider's web (F. C. Wellman). This fine species 

 agrees well with Kitsema's coloured figure of Megachile nigro- 

 cincta. It is evidently a Gronoceras ; indeed, Ritsema remarks 

 that it is close to G. combiista. The mandibles have two apical 

 teeth, and a long inner cutting edge ; clypeus with a little 

 broadly truncate process on middle of apical margin ; claws 

 simple ; hair of head, thorax, legs, and first abdominal segment 

 black ; of rest of abdomen bright red ; scopa red, black at 

 extreme base ; wings strongly smoky. Length 21 mm. or a 

 little more. 



Halictus hotoni, Vachal. ( $ )• 



Chiyaka, Benguella, September 1st, 1907 ; at flowers of 

 Geigeria sp. (F. C. Wellman). Previously known from a single 

 female from Delagoa Bay. The specimen agrees with Vachal's 

 description, except that the anterior tibiae have a suffused dark 

 patch. The general appearance is just like that of H. aureolas, 

 Perez, but the arrangement of the hair on the abdomen is 

 different. 



Halictus geigerice, sp. nov. 



? . Between 6 and 6| mm. long ; black ; with short greyish- 

 white hair ; head rather large, dull, and finely roughened ; clypeus 

 produced ; flagellum short, only faintly brownish beneath ; meso- 

 thorax dull, with close minute punctures, except on each side of the 

 middle, where they are sparse, though the surface still remains dull 



