326 Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell — Descriptions and 



descriptions of those from amber will be published at 

 Konigsberg : — 



(A) Small compact bees about 8 to 9 mm. long, often with metallic 



colours. All from Baltic amber. 



{a) Second t.-c. absent; b. n. going basad of t.-m. ; stigma well 

 developed. 



1. Sophrobomhus fatalis. Representing aside branch of the primitive 



Bombidae, not leading to anything modern. 



[b) Three submarginal cells, as usual ; b. u. meeting t.-m. 

 (i.) iStigma distinct, but short. 



2. Chalcoboynhus mnrtialis. Third s.m. very broad (400 /i) above. Meso- 



thorax, scutelluiu, and vertex dull black ; prothorax, tubercles, and 

 legs coppery red. 



3. Chalcohombus hirsutus. Head and thorax with long pale hair ; wings 



reddish fuliginous. 



4. Clialcoboinbus hmnilis. Abdomen . with a sericeous lustre and a 



decided green tint, the hind margins of the segments broadly 

 reddish. 



(ii.) Stigma obsolete ; third submarginal cell produced apically. 



5. Protobombns indecisus. Wings rather light fuliginous, with a very 



dark fuliginous cloud at end of marginal cell. 



(B) About the size and build of the honey-bee {Apis), but with the 



eyes naked ; stigma very small ; b. n. meeting t.-m. ; hind tibiae 

 with a single short sharp spur. Species from amber. 



6. Electrapis meliponoides. Showing characters trausitiojial to Apis, but 



not a direct ancestor of that genus. 



(C) Bombus-like, stout-bodied bees. 



(a) Length about 11 or 12 mm.; head and thorax very hairy; b. n. 



going basad (170 /x) of t.-m. ; malar space obsolete. From 

 amber. 



7. Electrapis (?) tor>iquisfi. This is the most Bombus-Yike of the amber- 



bees. 



(b) Length about 15 mm. ; b. n. meeting t.-m., but bending at upper 



end to do so. Florissant (Miocene). 



8. Calyptapisjiorissantensis. 



The Bombidse thus appear to have originated in Europe, 

 but to have reached America as early as the Miocene. ApiSy 

 though widespread in the Old World, apparently never 

 reached America until brought over by man. 



The only known fossil Apis, in any true sense, is Apis 

 henshawi, Ckll., from Rott, Prussia (Upper Oligocene). In 

 this species, however, the b. n. almost meets the t.-m., so it 

 has been regarded as forming a distinct subgenus, Synapis. 

 The character is one which allies it with the ancient Bombidte. 

 Ains adamitica, Heer, from Oeniugen (Upper Miocene), is 



