7. 0SM1A. 155 



wide as the thorax, both strongly and very closely punctured ; the 

 face thinly clothed with pale fulvous pubescence ; the anterior 

 margin of the clypeus slightly emarginate, and with two teeth in 

 the middle, usually concealed with bright ferruginous hairs ; man- 

 dibles incrassate, with two stout teeth at their apex and a blunt 

 one within, the margin terminating in a short acute tooth. Thorax 

 sparingly clothed on the disk with fulvous pubescence, but more 

 densely so on the sides, and beneath with paler pubescence ; wings 

 fusco-byaline, with their apical margins clouded ; the legs with 

 pale fulvous pubescence, that on the tarsi beneath rufo-fulvous. 

 Abdomen nigro-seneous, subovate, convex, shining, and rather 

 finely punctured, most closely so at the sides ; the margins of the 

 segments thinly ciliated with fulvous pubescence, usually more or 

 less abraded ; the sixth segment covered with short silky pale 

 pubescence ; beneath, densely clothed with bright ferruginous pu- 

 bescence. B.M. 



Male. Length 4-5 lines. — Head and thorax nigro-seneous, the ab- 

 domen more bright, and with a brassy brightness, very closely and 

 moderately punctured ; the face densely clothed with fulvous pu- 

 bescence, which is palest on the clypeus. Thorax clothed with 

 fulvous pubescence, which is palest on the sides and beneath, that 

 on the legs is sparing but also pale fulvous ; wings as in the other 

 sex. Abdomen oblong-ovate, with a little pale fulvous pubescence 

 at the base, the margins of the segments sparingly fringed with 

 shorter pubescence of the same colour ; the sixth segment notched 

 in the middle of its apical margin, and with a slight central depres- 

 sion ; the seventh segment bidentate. B.M. 



This species is not rare, but rather local. It usually appears in 

 June, females being found as late as August. It is frequently found 

 on thistle-heads, also on hawkweed ; it burrows in wood. Stelis 

 phceoptera may occasionally be taken about its burrows. It is widely 

 distributed, specimens having been received from Scotland and from 

 most parts between that locality and Cornwall. Mr. Vernon "Wol- 

 laston found it in Madeira. 



Section II. Body black. (Sp. 4-11.) 

 4. Osmia xanthomelana. 



0. aterrima, villosa, thorace abdominisque segmentis duobus basa- 

 libus rufo pilosis, mctathorace area media nitida ; corpore in 

 mare fulvescenti hirsuto, fronte albida pilosa ; abdomine nigro- 

 a'neo, ano bidentato. 



Osmia xanthomelana, Smith, Zool. ii. 745(5 §: Bees Great Brit. 165. 

 Steph.Illus. Brit. Ent. Supp. 10, pi. 43. fig. 2 £. _ 

 Nylancl. Notis. ur Stilish, pro Faun, et Flo. Fenn. ii. 270. 

 Gerst. Stett. ent. Zeit. (1809) 334. 

 Schench, Nass. Bien. 339. 

 Thorns. Hym. Scand. ii. 247. 



