ANTHOPHILA. 186 



Melecia is said to be the parasite of Aiifhophorn, and is allied to 

 Epeolitu, which our .s|)«.>cies reseinhle in general turiii and in the orna- 

 mentation of the abdomen, but the maxillary palpi have live joints. 



Some of the sjKJcies of Sfeliji closely resemble those of Anthidium ; 

 the 9 , however, is without a ventral scopa. 



The genus Oelioxi/M is the parasite of Meyachile, and is rea<lily 

 known by the conical abdomen, which is pointcnl at tip in the 9 iind 

 more or less sp'ine<l in the % . The females have good specitic char- 

 acters, while the males are difficult to separate. 



The species of OxmUi are generally of a bluish or greenish color, 

 having a short robust form, which is more or less hairy, the abdomen 

 subglobose, that of the 9 having a ventral scopa. In their economy 

 the 8i)ecies of this genus are said to be very diverse, some burrow in 

 earth, some in wood, while others nidificate in the shell of snails, etc. 



The genus Anthidium contains some very handsome insects, and 

 about thirty-five s|)ecies are given in the list ; the % abdomen is in- 

 curved at a])ex, which is often spined, and that of the 9 is furnished 

 with a ventral brush. 



The bees included in the genus Megachile are popularly known as 

 " Leaf-cutters," from their habit of cutting off pieces of leaves for the 

 purpose of forming cells in which to store up food for their larvJB. 

 The males present broad distinctive specific differences, chiefly in 

 the form of the antennae and anterior legs, while those of the females 

 are difficult to detect. The number of our described sjjecies is great, 

 which, however, will doubtless be largely reduced when more care- 

 fully studied with abundant material at hand. 



Ceratina contains some pretty little blue-green naked species, whose 

 habit is to excavate the pith from brambles, briars, etc., and supply 

 their larvse \vith a deposit of semi-fluid honey, they being destitute 

 of pollinigerous appendages. We have four described species, one 

 of which, dupla Say, is of common occurrence, and is said to exca- 

 vate the pith of the Mullein. 



Of Eiicera only one species has been described as inhabiting our 

 fauna, and which has not yet been identified by the compiler. The 

 anterior wings have but two submarginal cells, and the % antennae 

 are ps long as the entire body, filiform, with the joints arcuate and 

 reticulate. 



The genera Melissodes, Xenoglossa and SytiJudoiiia are closely allied, 

 having the % antennae conspicuously longer than that of the 9 , but 

 differing in the number of the joints of the maxillary palpi. These 



