280 HYMENOPTERA. 



joint more than twice the length of the second, the two apical 

 joints minute. The maxillary palpi three-jointed, the basal joint 

 minute, the second twice the length of the third. The antenna? 

 filiform, the ocelli placed in a line on the vertex. The anterior 

 wings having one marginal and three submarginal cells, the 

 second submarginal much contracted towards the marginal, the 

 third slightly so. The calcaria of the intermediate tibiae en- 

 larged, forming stout spines which are denticulate at their apex ; 

 the anterior tibiae have their calcaria bifid. 



1. MELISSA RUFIPES. B.M. 



Crocisa rufipes, Perty, Del. An. Art. p. 149. t. 28. f. 10 3 . 

 Mesocheira azurea, St. Farg. et Serv. Ency. Meth. x. 106. 2. 

 Mesoplia azurea, St. Farg. Hym. ii. 457. 1. 

 Hab. Brazil (Para) ; Jamaica. 



2. MELISSA DECORATA. B.M. 



Female. Length 6 lines. Head and thorax black, splendidly 

 decorated with glittering pubescence (or scales) of a vivid green 

 colour on the vertex, clypeus, disk of the thorax, tegulae, tuber- 

 cles and a spot beneath them, also on the legs above ; the face 

 on each side, and the head behind, covered with white pubescence; 

 the white has a yellow tinge towards the vertex of the eyes ; the 

 collar, sides of the thorax and metathorax, the anterior tibiae in 

 front, a line from the collar to the middle of the disk, a round 

 tuft on each side, and an epaulet over the tegulae, of short 

 dense white pubescence ; on the scutelium are two elevated 

 conical tubercles ; the wings subhyaline, the nervures black, 

 the tips of the wings have a dark fuscous cloud ; the calcaria 

 on the intermediate tibiae bifurcate at their apex, the anterior 

 spine has two sharp teeth within. Abdomen, of a dark blue, 

 changing to black in certain lights, the apical margin of each 

 segment having a broad band of pale glittering blue-green, the 

 bands formed of minute scales as in the Lepidoptera ; the seg- 

 ments have at their extreme lateral margins a spot of silvery- 

 white pubescence ; the entire insect beneath of dark purple- 

 black, the abdomen being naked. 



Hab. Brazil. (H. W. Bates.) 



3. MELISSA REGALIS. B.M. 



Female. Length 8 lines. Head and thorax black, the vertex 

 and disk of the thorax, scutelium and legs above, obscurely deco- 

 rated with green pubescence (or scales), the face, verte-x and 

 cheeks densely covered with short white pubescence ; the scape 



