108 BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



: Megilla labiata, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 333. 21 g . 



Leon Dufour, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. vii. 288. t. 9. f, 3 $ , 

 Megilla fulvipes, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 332. 20 $ , Sf Mus. Kiel 



Female. Length 4 lines. Black ; the head and thorax strongly 

 and closely punctured, the face has a thinly scattered short gri- 

 seous pubescence ; the flagelium beneath fulvo-testaceous. 

 Thorax : a short griseous pubescence on the sides and beneath ; 

 .the wings subhyaline, the tegulae rufo-piceous, the nervures 

 ferruginous; the apical joints of the tarsi ferruginous, fringed 

 with fulvous pubescence ; on the basal joints as well as on the 

 tibiae it is rufo-fuscous ; the posterior tibia? densely covered ex- 

 ternally with white pubescence, sometimes tinged with yellow ; 

 that at the apex as well as that on the basal joint of the 

 tarsi dark fuscous, the tarsi ferruginous beneath. Abdomen 

 shining, very delicately punctured, the apical margins of the 

 segments rufo-piceous, the third and fourth having a narrow 

 white fascia, the first usually interrupted, the apex covered with 

 fuscous pubescence, having a few white hairs at the sides. 



Male. Length 4 lines. Antennae nearly as long as the head 

 and thorax, the scape having a yellow spot in front, the flagel- 

 ium fulvo-testaceous beneath ; the face below the insertion of 

 the antennae and a spot at the base of the mandibles yellow; 



.the thorax shining, punctured, and having a thin pale fulvous 

 pubescence, at the sides of the metathorax it is griseous ; that 

 on the legs is short and pale fulvous ; the apical joints of the 

 tarsi rufo-testaceous, the posterior tibiae and femora incrassate, 



'the calcaria pale testaceous. Abdomen globose and shining ; the 

 apical margins of the third and of the three following segments 

 have a narrow pale marginal fringe, the first interrupted. 



B.M. 



Of this rare insect only three British collections possess spe- 

 cimens, and these are all males ; that in the British Museum was 

 probably the first captured in this country, and was taken by Dr. 

 Leach ; the second was met with by Mr. T. Walton in the New 

 Forest ; and Mr. Samuel Stevens captured a third at Weybridge, 

 July 4th, 1842. The species is no doubt very rare; not only the 

 precise spot where Mr. Stevens took it, but also the surrounding 

 country has been searched every season since its capture without 

 its being again met with. 



