Fcb.,i9i6 Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 11 



TWO NEW BEES FROM NEW JERSEY. 



By T. D. a. Cockerell, Boulder, Colo. 



Halictus floridanus caesareus subs. nov. — ?. A little smaller ; face and 

 front dark blue, the clypeus shining; mesothorax blue-black, densely and 

 finely punctured, dull; scutellum somewhat shining, purple-blue; area of 

 metathorax blue-black; abdomen without metallic tints. As in H. flori- 

 danus Rob., the head is oval, with a narrow face, and the hind spurs have 

 extraordinarily long spines. 



Hob. — Ocean Grove, N. J., July 12, 1893 ; collector unknown. The name 

 is derived, from the ancient name of Jersey. This looks like a distinct 

 species, but it agrees in structure with a specimen of H. floridanus re- 

 ceived from Robertson, though the color is very different. 



Halictus oceanicus sp. nov. — ?. Length about 6.5 mm. ; robust, rather 

 dark blue-green, with dull white hair ; tegulae rufopiceous, well punctured 

 on anterior half, rounded behind ; wings hyaline, conspicuously suffused 

 with reddish, stigma and nervures ferrugineous ; areas of metathorax with 

 very coarse rugs ; posterior truncation very sharply margined ; abdomen 

 dark green, shining, polished, hind margins of segments suffusedly red- 

 dish, fourth segment rather thinly covered with white hair; hind spur 

 with long spines. Closely related to H. nymphcEaruni Rob., but differing 

 thus : Areas of metathorax with fewer rugae, wings reddish, abdomen 

 strongly metallic ; both head and thorax distinctly narrower. It is, per- 

 haps, a subspecies of nymphaarum, but if so a very distinct one. 



Hab. — Ocean Grove, N. J., July 12, 1893 ; collector unknown. 



THE GENUS PLEOCOMA. 



By Alonzo Davis, Pasadena, Cal.* 



This genus, in all its members, is very rare and also very 

 peculiar. Their mouth parts are quite undeveloped and they 

 can take no nourishment, so consequently they live but a few 

 days. After the first rain of the year that soaks down into the 

 ground far enough to loosen the earth where they are, the 

 beetles come to the surface. The males come out and fly but 



* This paper was submitted by the writer as a composition in the regu- 

 lar course of grammar-school work. The writer is one of the phalanx 

 of youths who support the three active natural history societies of the 

 vicinity and gather to the aid of the entomological department of the 

 Southwest Museum of Los Angeles. 



