102 ANDRENlDiE. 



30. Halictus minutissimus. 



H. ater, glabriusculus ; alis hyalinis, iridescentibus ; abdomine niti- 

 dissimo. 



Halictus minutissimus, Smith, Zool. vi. 2103 ; Bees Great Brit. 44 ; 

 Entumol. iv. 268. 



Nyland, Notis. ur Stilish, pro Faun. etFlo. Fenn.il. 246. 

 Thorns. Opuse. Ent. 312; Hym. Scand. ii. 147. 

 Melitta minutissima, Kirby, Man. Apu?n Angl. ii. 63 c? § . 

 Hykeus minutissinius, Sche?ick, Nass. Bien. 291. 



Female. Length 2-2| lines. — Mack : head and thorax finely and 

 closely punctured ; the tips of the mandibles ferruginous : the meta- 

 thorax rotundate ; the tegulce piceous ; xho wings hyaline and iri- 

 descent. Abdomen oblong-ovate and shining, very finely punctured 

 beyond the basal segment; the apical margins of the segments 

 sometimes rufo-piceous. B.M. 



Male. Length l|-2 lines.— The antennas fulvous beneath, sub- 

 moniliform ; apex of the clypeus, the labrum, and mandibles yellow, 

 the tips of the latter ferruginous ; the wings hyaline and splendidly 

 iridescent ; the tarsi rufo-piceous. Abdomen elongate-ovate, smooth, 

 shining, and very closely and finely punctured, the margins of the 

 intermediate segments depressed at their base. B.M. 



Tbis species is not uncommon, and appears to be generally dis- 

 tributed. The male is the smallest bee found in tbis country ; the 

 only species that in the male sex sometimes equals it in minuteness 

 of size is Prosopis varices. I possess a female attacked by a Stylojps. 



Genus 7. DASYPODA. 



Andrena (pt.), Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. 307 (1793). 



Apis (pt.), Fabr. lib. eit. 335. 



Melitta (pt.), Kirby, Mon. Apum Angl. i. 140 (1802). 



Dasypoda, Latr. Hist. Nat. des Crust, et Ins. iii. 372 (1802). 



Tracbusa, Jurine, Hym. 250 (1807). 



The labial palpi 4-jointed, placed in a line, the joints sub- 

 clavate, the basal one longest and stoutest, the apical joint minute ; 

 the labium elongate-lanceolate, folded when in repose, a little longer 

 than the palpi. The maxillary palpi 6-jointed, each joint gradually 

 decreasing in length. The ocelli placed in a slight curve on the 

 vertex. The superior ivinys have one marginal and two submarginal 

 cells ; the second submarginal receiving the two recurrent nervures, 

 the first just within at the base, the second at a little more than one 

 third from its apex. The posterior tibias furnished with a long dense 

 scopa. 



This is a genus of small extent. About eight species are known, 

 these being principally European : one is found in Greece, one in 

 ^pain, and two in Egypt. 



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