300 ]\Ir. T. D. A, CockcvGW— Descriptions and 



basally and apically, with the apical margin of first segment, 

 the second except a median stain, and the greater part of the 

 third chestnut-red ; apical plate red, broadly truncate, much 

 broader than long, suggestive of the genus Proteranea ; 

 venter red, stained with blackish. 



Hub. Hobart, Tasmania, no. 91-155. 



Because of the smooth mesothorax, this cannot be the 

 male of S. antipodes, Smith. 



The following three species of Halictus resemble Para- 

 sphecodes and Sphecodes in having red abdomens : — 



Halictus punctatus, Smith, var. exiautus, nov. 



$ . — Abdomen broad, entirely orange-fulvous (apricot- 

 colour), except a faint dusky median stain and a small black 

 spot on extreme side of segments 3 and 4. Mandibles 

 ferruginous ; facial quadrangle about square ; mesothorax 

 green, dullish, with large well-separated punctures, median 

 and lateral grooves distinct ; metathorax black, the enclosure 

 large but ill-defined, covered with fine raised lines ; tubercles 

 reddish ; pleura black ; stigma very large, honey-colour ; 

 first r. n. joining second s.m. not far from its end -, outer 

 nervures weak as in Chloralictus ; legs red, hind spur simple. 



Length about or not quite 6 mm. 



Hah. Australia (no other details known), from F. Smithes 

 collection (no. 79.22). 



The typical punctatus has the abdomen dark rufo-piceous 

 in the middle, red at the sides. 



Halictus sphecodopsis, sp. n. 



(^ . — Very minute; length scarcely 4 mm. 

 Head and thorax yellowish green, the metathorax a bluer 

 green ; face broad, covered with yellowish hair ; broad 

 anterior margin of clypeus, labrum, and mandibles (except 

 ferruginous tips) cream-colour; antennae long, lively ferru- 

 ginous, the fiagellum dusky above ; vertex and mesothorax 

 granular, the latter Avith a little yellowish pubescence, most 

 abundant at the anterior corners ; area of metathorax 

 obscurely roughened and wrinkled basally, bounded by a 

 shining margin ; tegulse shining fulvous. Wings rather 

 narrow, clear, strongly iridescent; stigma dark reddish brown, 

 nervures pale ; first r. n. joining second s.m. near its end; 

 outer nervures (as in Chloralictus) much weakened, in fact 

 almost obsolete. Legs entirely clear orange-ferruginous. 



