XYLOCOPA LATIPES. 



Plate XLVIII. fig. 2. 



Order: Hymeuopteia. Section: Mellifera. Family; Apidae. 



Genus. Xylocopa, Fubr. Apis, Brury, Linn. 



Apis Latipes. Hirsuta atra, tarsis anticis explanatis flavis,intus ciliatis. (Magn. Bomb, terrestr. major.) 



Syn. Apis latipes, iJjwy, 4;)p. uoZ. 2. Fabr. Ent. Syst.2. Sli. 1. Syst. Piez. 357. l. 



Habitat : The Island of Johanua, near Madagascar (Drury). China (Fabr.). 



Eyes large, having the ocelh placed between them, just above the antennae. Antennae jointed in 

 the middle, i. e. at the end of the long basal joint, which is broad and flat at the tip. Tongue horny and 

 thick at top, ending in a sharp point. Thorax shining and dark blue, covered on the front with black 

 hairs. Abdomen dark blue, the sides being hairy. Wings dark blue and opake. Breast dark blue 

 and hairy. Fore legs longer than the others, and very hairy, the femora and tibiae being black ; 

 the first articulation of the tarsi being composed of a thin horn-like substance of a light yellow colour, 

 concave and hollow within, but flat on the top or upper part ; from the hinder side or edge whereof 

 proceed many long hairs of the same colour. 



According to Mr. Smeathman these bees are very injurious to wooden houses, the 

 posts of which they bore and perforate in various directions, so as to weaken them very 

 much. The holes they make are half an inch in diameter. Drury hazards the conjecture, 

 that the curiously dilated anterior tarsi, and the long hairs with which it is furnished, 

 appear to be useful to the creature for containing the substance of which these insects 

 compose their nests. This, however, is but mere conjecture ; since it is the males only 

 which possess this curious construction ; and this sex takes no share in the construction 

 or provisioning of the nest in any species of bees with whose economy we are hitherto 

 acquainted. There are certainly several distinct species confounded together under the 

 common name of Xylocopa latipes. 



SYNAGRIS CORNUTA $. 



Plate XLVIII. fig. 3. 



Order: Hymenoptera. Section: Diploptera. Family: Vespidae, ieac/i. 



Genus. Synagris, Latr. Fabr. Vespa, Linn. Apis, Drury. 



Synagris Cornuta. Ferrugiuea, abdomine alisque nigris, mandibulis porrectis capite lougioribus. $. (Long. 



Corp. cum mand. I unc. 4J lin.) 

 Syn. Vespa cornuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 2. 901. 20. Fair. Syst. Piez. 252. 1. Latr. Hist. Nut. 3.3m. 



(Synagris c.) Griffith Animal Kingdom, Inbcets, pi. 106. §■ 101. fg. 1. Drury, .App. vol. 2. (Apis c.) 



Habitat: Africa (Fabr.). Ana.mahoe (Drury). 



Front of the head dark orange, the hinder part brown. Antennae dark orange brown, and about the 

 length of the thorax ; the basal joint elongated. Ocelli distinct. From the front of the head proceed 

 two slender horns, about three-eighths of an inch in length, of a solid bony substance, bending at the 

 extremities toward each other, which the insect can open and close together horizontally, and which are 

 the mandibles greatly developed. The base of these horns extends downwards, and fonns a kind of 



