the Apidae in tlie Briliah Museum. 469 



Megachile lateritia, Smith, and Megachile albobasalis, Smith. 



These two species are extremely nearly related ; they differ 

 as follows : — 



M. lateritia. 

 (Type in Hope Department.) 



No pale hair on median segment. 



Scopa deep foxy red, contrasting 

 strongly with the brick-red 

 clothing of the tergites. 



M. albobasalis, 

 (Type in B.M.) 



Median segment clothed with white 

 hair. 



Pubescence on tergites and scopa 

 of the same shade of ferrugi- 

 nous. 



M. lateritia was described from Aru and M. albobasalis 

 from Murray Island, Torres Straits; there is also a speci- 

 men labelled as coming from Aru, but it is possibly an 

 error. 



Megachile teriia, D. T. 



Megachile senex, Smith, Journ. Linn. Soc, Zool. vii. p. 92 (1865). 

 Megachile albiceps, Friese, Zeitschr. Hym. Dipt. iii. p. 243 (1903). 



Friese is correct in suggesting that these are the same 

 species. An examination of Smith's type shows that there 

 is white pubescence on the prothorax, though this is not 

 mentioned in his description. 



Key to some African Species of Megachile described 

 by F. Smith. 



1. f Clypeus normal, truncate, 1-2 as broad as 



I long (subgenus Megachile) 2. 



I Cypeus apically emarginate, the sides of 

 I the emargination produced to form two 

 J teeth (subgen. Amegachile). Black ; 

 ] truncation of median segment and abd. 

 I tergite 1 white-haired ; abdomen apically 

 I with ferruginous pubescence ; scopa pale 

 I yellow, apically ferruginous ; wings fus- 



l_ cons. L. 15 mm. (Zulu.) nasah's. 



(= volkmanni, Ft.) 



2. f Abdomen entirely clothed with ferrugi- 



I nous-red pubescence, vertex clothed 

 •^ with dark hairs, scopa pale ferruginous. 



I L. 15 mm. (South Africa.) imitata. 



y Abdomen otherwise clothed 3. 



3. f Thorax and abdomen black, all the seg- 



Iments with lateral patches of white 

 pubescence, scopa golden fulvous, ante- 

 ' -^ rior wings fuscous. L. 16. (Natal.) , . consanguinea. 

 Thorax black, with ochraceous or rufous 

 I pubescence ; abdomen with fulvous or 

 ^ 1^ grey pubescence 4. 



