£ 25 ] 



PLATE CCCCIII. 



FIG. I. 

 APIS IRICOLOR. 



IRICOLOR BEE. 

 HYMENOPTERA. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Mouth horny : jaw and lip membranaceous at the tip : . tongue 

 inflected : feelers four, unequal, filiform : antennae fhort, and filiform ; 

 thofe of the female fomewhat clavated: fling of the females and 

 neuters pungent, and concealed within the abdomen. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER 



AND 



SYNONYMS. 

 Violaceous, above glabrous : wings blackifh. 



Apis Iricolor: violacea, fupra glabra; alis nigricantibus. Kirby, 

 Jp. Angl. T. 2. p. 310. n. 72.' 

 Druty Inf. Vol I. p. 108. tab. 45. Jig. 3. 



Apis Virens: Chriftii Hymznop. p. 123. tab. 6, Jig. 2. 



Apis Iricolor is, a large and beautiful fpecies, but which, we are 

 almoft perfuaded, has been introduced into the Britifh Catalogue 

 without fufficient reafon. Mr. Kirby found it in Dr. Latham's 



Vol. xii. E cabinet 



