British Hymenoptera. 191 



2. Melecta armata, Panz. (PI. VIIL, figs. 1 — 1 b). 



Panz., Faun. Germ., 70, 22 ; Smith, Cat. Brit. Hym., 

 2nd ed., p. 137. 



Black, shining. Thorax clothed with brownish grey hairs ; 1st 

 and 2nd segments of the abdomen with a tuft of greyish hairs, 

 4th and 5th with a small romid spot of silvery white hau-s ; these 

 spots are variable in size, and sometimes entirely absent in the J . 



Very like the preceding species, but differing in the 

 following particulars : — 



(? . With the pubescence of a generally browner hue ; face 

 entirely clothed with ochreous white hairs. Thorax clothed with 

 brownish grey hairs as far as the scutellum ; scutellum and meta- 

 thoi'ax with black hairs, a tuft of greyish brown hairs on each side 

 of the latter. Abdomen rather more coarsely punctured ; 1st seg- 

 ment sparingly clothed with brownish grey hairs, and with a tuft 

 of hairs on each side ; 2nd and following segments clothed with 

 short black hairs, the 2nd with a tuft of brownish grey hairs on 

 each side, the 3rd, 4th, and sometimes the 5th with a small round 

 lateral spot of white hairs ; 7th widely emarginate at the apex, 

 dull, clothed with black hairs ; beneath entirely black, 8th segment 

 produced at the apex into two small hairy tubercles (for genitalia, 

 &c., see PI. VIII., figs. 1 — 1 b). Legs with the tibiae clothed with 

 ochreous hairs externally, except at the apex ; posterior metatarsi 

 slightly curved, narrow at the base, and then slightly dilated on 

 their external margin ; tarsi clothed with pale hairs above. 



2 . Only differs from the ^ in having the pubescence of a paler 

 grey, and in having the tibiae with only a spot of white hairs at the 

 base. It may be known from that of luctuosa by its having the 

 spots on the 3rd and 4th segments of the abdomen punctiform, and 

 by the curved posterior metatarsi. In some varieties the abdomen 

 is entirely black. Length, 13 mm. 



Parasitic on Antliophora pilipes, and not uncommon 

 where that species occurs. 



C(ELioxYS, Latr. 

 Latr., Gen. Crust, et Ins., iv., p. 166. 



Wings with two submarginal cells. Maxillary palpi 3-jointed ; 

 labial palpi 4-jointed. Eyes hairy ; scutellum dentate at each 

 side ; <? , apex of abdomen blunt, multispinose ; four ventral seg- 

 ments exposed, the 5th only just visible at its apex ; 8th segment 

 tongue-shaped ; armature with the stipites long and straight, hairy 



TRANS. ENT. BOC. LOND, 1884. — PART II. (jULY.) 



