BULLETIN OF THE BROOKLYN ENT. SOC. 71 



Descriptions of some New Porms of .ffigeridce. 



By Henry Edwards. 



In working over a portion of the large mass of material which 

 lias been kindly loaned me for my proposed monograph of the N. 

 American iEgeridse, I find the following remarkable forms, and offer 

 the descriptions of them more for the purpose of calling the atten- 

 tion of entomologists to my interest in the group than for any other 

 reason. It is only by the examination of examples from various 

 regions that we can arrive at any positive knowledge of these inter- 

 esting insects, and I trust I may have the assistance of collectors in 

 the different portions of oar territory, as by such combined aid can 

 I alone hope to make my intended monograph as valuable and com- 

 plete as I desire it to be. 



Melittia Gloiiosa, n. sp. 



Upper side : Primaries yellowish fawn color, with the costal and 

 posterior margins rather darker, and the outer edges of the fringe 

 dusky white. Secondaries dull orange, with a narrow marginal line, 

 and the fringe dusky brown. Head and thorax concolorous with 

 the primaries, the latter with a pale-orange blotch on each side in 

 front, and some flattened bluish scales at the base. Abdomen with 

 the base covered with long orange hairs, which extend along the 

 sides to the fifth segment, The third and fifth segments are ochj e- 

 ous, the remainder the same color as the primaries, each 1 eing 

 edged posteriorly with a row of bluish scales. Antenna? blackish 

 brown above, reddish beneath. 



Under side- Both wings dusky orange, paler along costa of pri. 

 maries, with the fringes broadly smoky brown. Head, palpi, tho- 

 rax, and abdomen sordid white, as are also the anterior tibiae. The 

 posterior pair are densely clothed (as in 31. cucur'uike) at their basal 

 half with long orange hairs, with blackish at their posterior exirem- 

 ity, where they are mingled with a few bluish scales. 



Expanse of wings, 2 inches. Type, coll. Hy. Edwards. 



This is the largest and handsomest species of the genus with 

 which I am acquainted. I first took this remarkable insect in San 

 Leanlro, Cal., in 1872. It wis at rest upon a tree in a field of mel- 

 ons (Gucumis melo), and it was subsequently found by Mr. S. Bran- 

 han in Sta. Rosa Island, Cat, on the stems of prickly pear (Opuntia 

 HUoralis, Engelm.). I have recently seen some examples from Texas 

 in the collection of Mr. B. Neumoegen, which I believe to be the 

 same, species, though I have not yet carefully examined them. 



