Miscellaneous. 295 



operation, but no indication of the regeneration of the fin. Brous- 

 senet came to the same conclusion ; and the author considers that it 

 may be stated as a general law, with regard to vertebrate animals 

 at least, that when an organ is entirely removed, it can never 

 be regenerated. — Comptes Rendus, March 15, 1869, tome Ixviii. 

 pp. 669-670. 



Descriptions of two new Species of Uymenoptera from the 

 Argentine Republic. By J. C. Puls. 



Melipona moJesta. 



Black, shining, entirely covered with white hairs. Antennce black, 

 with their extremity and the lower part of the first joint brownish. 

 Head black, shining, covered with white hairs. Thorax black, 

 shining, the hairs white ; prothorax bordered by a yellowish-white 

 line ; mesothorax having a similar line above the insertion of the 

 wings ; mcta thorax having a point of the same colour on each side. 

 Scutellum iuferiorly bordered by a line of the same colour. Abdomen 

 black, shining, covered with white hairs. Legs black ; tarsi brown. 

 Wings hyaline, nervures yellow (worker). Length 4 millimetres. 



11(d). San Luis, in woods of small trees. It is very troublesome 

 like the flies. December (Strobel). 



OdynervLS albocinctus. 



Black, thorax very villose ; abdomen velvety, shining, first seg- 

 ment margined with yellowish white ; antennae and mandibles red ; 

 legs red, with the femora black. Length 9 millimetres ; expanse 

 20 millimetres. 



2 . Clypeus pyriform, with a strong emargination, forming two tri- 

 angular teeth, punctured. Antennce entirely red ; mandibles, palpi, and 

 labrum red. Head and thorax covered with long, close hairs ; meta- 

 thorax rounded. Abdomen black, velvety, shining, sprinkled with 

 longer hairs, the first segment bordered by a thin yellowish-white 

 line ; second segment having no tubercle beneath. Wings brownish, 

 with the extremity violet; scale black. Legs red, with all the 

 femora black, except on their anterior part. 



This is the only species that might be confounded with Odynerus 

 Antuca, Sauss. (in Gay's ' Chili '), as having the first segment of the 

 abdomen yellowish white ; but it differs therefrom by its black cly- 

 peus, scales, and femora. 



Hab. Near a spring, Portezuelo de Bonilla, in the Sierra de Us- 

 paUata, in the province of Mendoza. January (Strobel). — Atti della 

 Societd Italiana di Sci. Nat. vol. xi. pp. 257 & 258, October 1868. 



Habits of the Medusce. By Dr. J. E. Gray. 



Mr. M'Andrew informs me that he often saw the Sea-jellies (3Ie- 

 dusa cequorea, Forskal, Fauna ^gyptiaca, n. 28. t. 32) lying on their 

 backs at the bottom of the beautiful clear water of the Red Sea, 

 with the tentacles expanded like a flower. The Arab saUors dived 

 for them, and brought them up to the surface. The Arabs are very 

 handy in this respect, and will bring up any animal, shell, or stone 

 that may be pointed out to them, jumping in a moment from the 



