949 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
butterflies that have been reported from Sarepta, and which we 
expected to come across. The most notable of these was Pontia 
chloridice, which we were much disappointed not to find any- 
where, although a sharp look-out was kept for it, and every 
swift-winged white that there was the slightest suspicion of was 
diligently netted, when this was possible. Other species that 
we expected to see, but did not, included Satyrus autone, 
S. hippolyte, Oeneis tarpeia, T'riphysa phryne, and Scolitantides 
bavius ; probably we left too early for the first two species, and 
arrived too late for the third and fourth; with respect to the 
last-named butterfly, it is, I believe, always rare in Russia, and 
possibly it occurred further afield than we were able to work. 
We were at Sarepta from May 19th until June 23rd, between 
which dates the weather was almost perfect; bright sun from 
morning until evening on almost every day was our fortunate 
lot; and there was always a cool and most invigorating breeze 
to temper its rays. 
On June 28rd we started on the return journey, travelling 
up the Volga as far as Nijni Novgorod, a distance of about 1200 
miles, which took the steamer six days to accomplish. The 
Volga boats are excellent, well fitted up, and the cuisine 
arrangements exceedingly good; the voyage, apart from being a 
little monotonous, is inferesting, and after our hard work was 
very restful and enjoyable. 
I was struck with Nijni Novgorod and its district as an 
entomological centre; it is in the neighbourhood of what looks 
like a great deal of promising country, which should repay investi- 
gation. From Nijni to Moscow is only ten hours by rail; after 
staying a few days at the latter city I came straight to England, 
parting from Mr. Jones at Warsaw, en route for the Tyrol. 
AUSTRALIAN HALICTINE BEES. 
By T. D. A. CockERELu. 
Parasphecodes atronitens, sp. Nn. 
?. Length about 9} mm.; entirely black, the flagellum obscure 
brown beneath; clypeus shining, strongly but not densely punctured, 
and with a short median sulcus; front appearing granular, more or 
less glistening, especially at sides; hair of face and front very scanty, 
fuscous, but at sides of face appearing pale and glistening in some 
lights ; cheeks with shining white hair; mesothorax dull, extremely 
densely punctured, the punctures clearly visible under a lens; 
scutellum dullish, densely very minutely punctate, with a depressed 
median line or sulcus; area of metathorax minutely and obscurely 
subplicate basally, and with a raised median line, but otherwise with- 
out sculpture ; tubercles with a dense fringe of greyish white hair; 
