252 INSECTA. 
Lasius, Wied. 
Where the head, in one of the sexes, is almost entirely occupied 
by the eyes, and the last joint of the antennz is very long, almost li- 
near, compressed, and without any apparent terminal seta. The ab- 
domen is voluminous. The labrum is large, gibbous at base, and 
truncated at the end. 
In one specimen, for which I am indebted to the kindness of M. 
de Lacordaire, the proboscis extends along the under part of the body 
and projects beyond its posterior extremity. This character, with 
some others, would seem to indicate that this subgenus naturally be- 
longs to the tribe of the Vesicularia, and comes near Panops(1). 
Usia, Lat.—Volucella, Fab. 
Where the last joint of the antenne is ovoido-conical, obtuse or 
truncated at the end, and terminated by astilet. The palpi are not 
apparent. 
The species are peculiar to the southern countries of Europe 
and to Africa(2). 
Puruiria, Meig. 
Similar to Usia in the antenne, but the palpi are distinct(3). 
Sometimes the second joint is evidently shorter than the first; the 
last is long, generally almost cylindrical, and terminated in a point, 
as in 
BompyLius, proper. 
Where the palpi are very apparent. 
These Insects are densely covered with a woolly down, which co- 
lours it. The most common species in the environs of Paris is the 
B. major; L.; B. bichon, De Geer, Insect.,/ Vi, xv,10, 11. 
From four to five lines in length, and entirely covered with yel- 
lowish-grey hairs; proboscis long and black; external half of the 
wings blackish, the remainder diaphanous; legs fulvous. 
(1) Wied., Anal. Entom., I, 3. 
(2) Lat. Gener. Crust. et Insect., TV, 314. See also Fab., and Meig. 
(3) The same works. 
