OP NATURAL HISTORY. 789 



workers, and I did not find the nest or ascertain the kind and 

 importance of the honey they make. The generic name is almost 

 too much like Trigonia of Conchology, but as the pronunciation 

 differs it can remain . 



2. T. LiGATA. — O Blackish ; abdominal segments margined 

 with ochreous. 



Inhabits Mexico. 



Body brownish-black, hairy; antennae beneath, particularly 

 the basal joint, anterior half of the anterior orbits, line distin- 

 guishing two lobes of the hypostoma and mouth, dull yellowish ; 

 wings slightly tinged with fuliginous, particularly towards the 

 base ; nervures of the cubital cellules like those of the hilineata 

 nob., but the first one is much more distinct : tergum shortly 

 hairy ; posterior margins of the segments ochreous : feet dull 

 honey-yellow ; tip of the posterior tibiae and base of the first tar- 

 sal joint black. 



Length about two fifths of an inch. 



Of this I obtained but a single specimen, which is a worker. 

 It is widely different from the preceding species, particularly in 

 being hairy, and is much larger and of a somewhat different 

 habit. I have carefully compared it with Latreille's descriptions 

 and figures of Melipona \\\%'] favosa IlHg-, scutellaris Latr.,/a«- 

 ciata Latr., interrupta Latr., and other species as given in Hum- 

 boldt's Zoological Observations ; and even should it be referred 

 to that genus notwithstanding its denticulated mandibles, I have 

 endeavored to draw out such characters as may distinguish it 

 from them. Latreille, however, says of Melipona, " Mandibles 

 sans dentelures apparentes " which entirely includes this species, 

 although it agrees in habit. 



1837.] 



