142 



only. All of clypeus except anterior margin and lower lateral angles, 

 a narrow band immediately above the clypeus, sides of face nearly to 

 antennae — these marks obliquely truncate above, pale yellow. Bases of 

 tibiae and first tarsal articles yellow, the remainder of tarsi testaceous. 

 Head rugoso-puncate, scape also finely so. Middle anterior margin 

 nf ciynaus straight, the mandibles nearly reaching the eyes. Viewed 

 ■'"rrm nbove the head is subrectangular, the width about twice the 

 If^rrti'. the_ cheeks above are very wide — as seen from side nearly 

 1 rif t^ e width of eye; from above, the very strong bulge of clypeus 

 and f'ont is brought strikingly into relief. First and second articles of 

 rr- i"'rry palpi about equal, the second nearly as long as the third 

 r^'] fourth together. The first article of the labial palpi is more 

 tirn twice as long as the remainder together. 



The thorax is densely evenly rugoso-punetate, the tegulae shinincr 

 Llaek. Between postscutellum and metanotivm is a broad shining 

 furrow partitioned by longitudinal carinae into about sixteen, rectan- 

 gular pits. The metanotum on apical three fourths has a deep rounded 

 shining furrow which is forked eaudad. On the upper angles of the 

 metanotum are large patches of silvery white plumose hairs. Sternum 

 thickly pubescent with long white plumose hairs. 



Abdomen finely thickly evenly punctate except for the broad smooth, 

 shining, piceous hind margins. The abdomen is rather strongly constricted 

 between the first three segments. The pubescence is rather conspi- 

 cuous along the bases of the segments after the first, especially at the- 

 sides, and along the inner edge of smooth areas, becoming longer and 

 thicker apically where they converge. Femora not especially pubescent 

 but tibiae and tarsi with thick white fine pubescence, longer a.nd 

 heavier on under sides of tibiae. Wings very slightly obscured basally, 

 but evenly smoky in marginal cell and on apical margin. The submar- 

 ginal cells are of about equal length, the second narrowing above 

 to about half its length below. The basal vein arises considerably 

 beyond the transverse median. I collected several specimens of this 

 very interesting form at San , Marcos, on the eastern slo]-.e of the 

 Nicaraguan coast range. , 



AMEETCAN BEES RELATED TO MELECTA 

 BY C. F. BAKE II 



The group of species previously placed in Melecta by American 

 authors is a very heterogeneous one. Melecta maculata of Cresson 

 differs as widely from other species of the genus as does Ericrocis lata, 

 and is equally entitled to generic recognition. I do not know mucida, 

 but from the description I can scarcely believe it a true Melecta. The 

 superficial markings are similar in all these groups, but the resemblance 



