May, '02] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, I37 



Lithurgopsis, a New Genus of Bees. 



By William J. Fox. 



A recent letter from Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell suggested that 

 Lithurgus oblongus Fox, described from Lower California, was 

 possibly not a lyithurgus, but a species of Megachile. I find 

 on examining the type that, while having a strong superficial 

 resemblance to species of Lithurgus, i.e., in the laminate, or 

 projecting face, oblongus is really a Megachile, the first hind 

 tarsal joint being flattened as in the latter genus and not cylin- 

 drical as in Lithurgus, and its labial palpi are 4-jointed. As 

 the name obloyiga is preoccupied in Megachile it is necessary to 

 propose a new name for Megachile {=^Lithurgus) oblonga Fox 

 and I herewith suggest the term longula. 



Historically, the genus Lithurgus is not without interest, 

 Latreille, i825,Mndicates Centris cornuta Fab. (^=^Megachile cor- 

 7mta)sLS the type of a genus, to which he gives a French name, 

 Lithurge. In the same year Lepeletier de St. Fargeau "^ refers 

 to Latreille' s genus Lithurge without Latinizing it. Berthold, 

 1827,'^ edited a German translation of Latreille' s Families, etc., 

 on page 467 of which the Latin term Lithurgus is used for the 

 first time. As vernacular names have no standing in nomen- 

 clature, obviously the genus should date from the first use of a 

 Latin term of it. Therefore, the name of the "stone-bees" 

 should henceforth stand as Lithurgus Berthold, 1827, and 

 not Latreille, to whom the generic term has heretofore been 

 crediled. 



The references to Lithurge Latreille which I have found are 

 in almost every instance either incorrect or incomplete. Boyer 

 de Fonscolombe, 1834,* refers to the right work, but curiously 

 enough says "tom. 2, p. 350," there being but one volume, 

 and the term occurring on page 463. Later writers as Lepele- 

 tier de Saint Fargeau, F. Smith, and Freise in 1899, refer to 



* Families nature lies du regne animal, Paris, 1825, p. 463. 



'^Encyclopedic methodique. Insect., X, p. 79^, 1825. The title page to 

 this volume is dated 1792, but the work having been issued in parts, page 

 795 did not appear until 1825. 



' Naturliche Familien des Thierreichs mit Anmerkungen und Zus'dt. 

 zen von Dr. Am. Ad. Berthold, Weimar, 1827. 



*- Annates de la Societe Entomot. de France, T., Ill, 1834. 



