82 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, '05 



What seems to be the female of this species is similar in 

 appearance but much more robust, with the face wholly black, 

 and the hair on the legs nearly all black. 



Hab. — lyos Angeles, California, one of each sex. (Dr. A. 



Davidson. ) 



Megachile agnstini n. sp. 



(^ — Length about 14 mm. — Appearance of M. comata Cress., with the 

 same pale greyish greenish pubescence. It is also much like the male of 

 M. laiimaftus Say, but with the banding of the abdomen rather more 

 distinct. The distinctive characters are as follows : 



(i.) The entirely black antennas have the flagellum slender, not cre- 

 nulated beneath, and the last joint is flattened and discoid. 



(2 ) The mandibles are normal, not broadly dilated or elbowed as in 

 comata, and are entirely black, except an obscure dark red patch not far 

 from the apex. The apical tooth is sharp and rather long. 



(3.) The spines of the anterior coxae are comparatively short and 

 somewhat flattened, with an orange line on the outer edge ; the anterior 

 faces of the coxae present large patches of appressed orange rufous bris- 

 tles. (In latima?ius there is a pallid spot, but no patch of bristles ; in 

 comata the coxal spines are very long.) 



(4.) The anterior femora are dark rufous, with broad black stripes in 

 front and behind ; the lower margin is dilated to a keel on the apical half, 

 but the black curved lines seen on the lower margin of latinianus are 

 wholly absent. 



(5.) The anterior tibiae are black and red, with much the pattern of 

 cotnata, but the red on the inner face forms a longitudinal instead of an 

 oblique band. 



(6.) The anterior tarsi resemble those of comata, but are a decided 

 yellow, and the long posterior fringe is dark fuscous within ; seen from 

 beneath, the first joint is not hollowed as it is in comata, and the anterior 

 fringe is rufous, not dark. There is a conspicuous black spot on the 

 lower side of the second joint beneath. There is no concavity of the 

 apical part of the upper edge of the first joint, such as is seen in latinianus. 



(7.) The middle and hind legs are nearly normal, with the femora 

 broad, but not greatly swollen ; middle tibiae short and thick, convex out- 

 wardly ; middle tarsi, especially the first joint, fringed behind with long 

 white hair ; hind tarsi with first joint flattened, the next three cordiform, 

 hair on inner side rather pale orange-rufous, with long but not dense 

 white hair laterally in front. 



(8.) The fourth and fifth dorsal abdominal regments, viewed laterally, 

 show some black hairs. Apex of abdomen broad, irregularly crenulate, 

 but the emargination is very slight or obscure. Beneath, the last ventral 

 segment is tridentate, with the middle tooth small. 



From M. fortis Cress., it is separated by not having the 



