JJbU INSECTA. 



paste in each of them. She sometimes bores three canals in the 

 same piece of wood. 



They are peculiar to -warm climates *. 



The labial palpi of the other Apiarise are in the form of squamous 

 setse; the two first joints, compared with the two last, are very large, 

 compressed, scaly, and have a membranous or transparent margin. 

 The maxillary palpi are always very short, and frequently consist of 

 less than six joints. The labrum, in a great number, is elongated 

 and inclined on the mandibles, sometimes forming a long square and 

 sometimes an elongated triangle. 



The Apiariae, wliich in our work on the natural families of the 

 animal kingdom we have collectively designated by the same of Dasij- 

 gastrce, are remarkable — as intimated by that name — for the numer- 

 ous, short, crowded hairs, forming a silky brush, that almost always f 

 covers the abdomen of the females. The labrum is as long as it is 

 wide or longer, and square. The mandibles of the females are 

 strong, incisive, triangular and dentated. The paraglossia are al- 

 ways very short, squamous, and pointed at the extremity. 



Of all the subgenera of this little group, that which apjiears to us 

 to aj^proximate most closely to the Xylocopae, and which alone pre- 

 sents maxillary palpi consisting of six joints, and wings furnished 

 with three complete cubital cells, is the 



Ceratina, Lat. Spin. Jur. — Megilla, Prosopis, Fuh. 



The body is narrow and oblong; the antennae are inserted in little 

 fossulae, andl terminated almost in an elongated club ; the mandibles 

 are sulcated and tridentated at the extremity ; the abdomen ap- 

 proaches to an oval, and is destitute of a silky brush. The labrum 

 is proportionally shorter than in the following subgenera, where it 

 forms an elongated quadrilateral. According to the cuiious observa- 

 tions of M. Maximilian Spinola — Ann. du Mus. d'Hist. Nat. — the 

 habits of the females are the same as these of the Xylocopee :};. 



All the remaining Dasygastrae have four joints at most in their 

 maxillary palpi, and two complete cubital cells. 



We first remark those species in which the under part of the ab- 

 domen is evidently furnished with a silky brush. 



Chelostcma, Lat., 

 Where tlie body is elongated, and almost cylindrical; tlie mandi- 

 bles project, are narrow, arcuated, and forked or emarginated at the 

 end ; the maxillary palpi are triarticulated §. 



* Lat., Gener. Crust, et Insect., IV^, 158. To this subgenus, until we have 

 further examined it, we refer the genus Lestis of MM. Lepeletier and Serville — 

 X, 795. 



f The Ceratinse, Stelides aud Coelioxydes, although destitute of a ventral scopa, 

 should make part of this group, on account of the form of the labrum and mandi- 

 bles, and other general characters. 



X Lat., Gener. Crust, et Insect., IV, 160. Sec also the article Caafine of the 

 second edition of the Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 



§ Lat., Ibid,, 162. 



