DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW MTMENOPTEMA. 421 



sliort ; the labial 4-, the maxillary palpi 6- jointed ; the basal joint of 

 the labial is not quite twice the length of the second— about the length 

 of the second and third united ; the apical two joints are sub-equal. 

 Ocelli in a curve (.'.)• ^acQ and cljpeus not elongated ; the apex of 

 the clypeus with a distinct border triangularly projecting at the apex 

 and slightly, but distinctly, curved. Head and thorax thickly covered 

 with longish hair ; the median segment with an area on the base, 

 Soutellum flat. Legs thickly haired ; the hair on the hinder tibia and 

 tarsi long and thick ; their claws have a sub-apical tooth ; the front 

 calcaria have a membraneous dilatation at the base ; there is only one 

 on the middle tibiae ; the hinder are long, thin, curved and bare. 

 Wings with three cubital cellules ; the second and third are equal in 

 length on the top ; but below the third is about one-half longer, bein o- 

 nearly as long as the lower side of the first ; both the recurrent 

 nervures are received shortly beyond the middle of the cellules ; stioma 

 distinct, the radial cellule is narrow, longish, but not reaching to the 

 apes of the wing. Abdomen, except on the apical segments, bare and 

 shining ; the apical segments thickly covered with long black hair « 

 the ventral surface is almost bare. 



The antennae are bare and shining, short, about the length of the 

 thorax ; tbe third joint twice the length of the fom'th ; the mandibles are 

 longish, stout, and end at the apex in a broad, bluntly rounded tooth which 

 is clearly separated ; the labrum is not produced, the tarsi are short and 

 the apical joints are narrow, compared to the basal one, which is as 

 long as the others united and enlarged ; the middle joints are fringed 

 with stiff hairs at the apex ; the last joint is as long as the preceding 

 two united. The anterior ocellus is not in a pit. The- front is keeled 

 in the middle. Eyes parallel, reaching close to the base of the 

 mandibles. 



The deep black body, large size 'and violaceous wings give this 

 genus the appearance of a small Xylocopa, but it has no near 

 relationship to that genus. In Bingham's table on p. 414 this 

 genus comes into, " A. Forewings with three cubital cells, a Maxil- 

 lary palpi 6-jointed, a^ -Posterior tibige densely pubescent, a^ Ocelli 

 in a curve on the vertex " ; but it cannot be confounded with Halietus^ 

 Nomia or Tetralonia, the three genera included in the section. 

 It has the anal rima of Halictus, but otherwise has no near relationship 

 to that genus. 



