CENTRIS GROSSA. 265 



blue, very glossy, notwithstanding a few scattered 

 black hairs ; abdomen nearly of the same brilliant 

 hue as the thorax ; the underside with a greater 

 mixture of blue ; legs black and hairy ; wings brown. 

 A native of Jamaica; nearly allied to Centris 

 versicolor of Fabricius, which also inhabits the west 

 Indian Islands. 



XYLOCOPA VIOLACEA. 

 PLATE XX. Fig. 3. 



Fab. Reaumur, Donov. Indian Insects. 



THIS genus contains a very conspicuous group of 

 insects, somewhat resembling humble-bees, but their 

 colours are much darker, and never distributed in 

 bands ; the body much flatter, and the whole contour 

 different. The wings are usually very dark, and reflect 

 brilliant tints of violet and copper ; and although the 

 body is in most cases black, it often presents a flne 

 play of purple or green. The eyes are large, and some- 

 times approximating behind, but always rather distant 

 from each other; head narrower than the thorax, broad 

 and depressed ; proboscis rather short ; exterior palpi 

 six-jointed ; interior two-jointed ; antennae strongly 

 geniculated; upper wings with three complete cubital 

 cells, the first intersected by a slender transparent line, 

 the second triangular, the third largest, and receiving 

 the two recurrent nervures. Nearly all of them 

 are extra-European and inhabiting the very warmest 

 regions. Among the few exceptions to this, is the 

 species referred to above which occurs in various parts 

 of Europe, and naturalists accordingly have often 



