No. 3.] PATTON ON CERTAIN BEES. 473 



Xenoglossa Smith. 



Type: X fulra Smith, C. H. B. M. ii, 315; pi. vii, f. 8, ? ; pi. xii, f. 7 maxilla, f. 8 wing. 



In Smith's description of Xenoglossa there are only two characters 

 which do not apply to the genus Melissodes as well — the five-jointed 

 maxillary palpi and the loose scopa of the posterior tibi?e. The descrip- 

 tion and figure of the antenntie may mean anything or nothing, and the 

 statement that the claws are " bifid " is, as his figure shows, incorrect. As 

 2)rimiosa agrees with the description in all essential points, there ought 

 to be no doubt of its belonging to the genus. Yet, as I am unacquainted 

 with the type of the genus, it is with some hesitation that I have referred 

 prumosa to Xenoglossa. 



Xenoglossa pruinosa. 



Macrocera pruinosa Say, Bost. Jour. N. H. i, 405. 



This species presents the following generic characters. Mcixillary palpi 

 five-jointed, second aud third joints subequal, fourth and fifth joints sub- 

 equal and together equal in length to the third, the fifth joint slender; 

 first joint of the labial palpi little longer than the second; labrum trans- 

 verse quadrate, notched in the middle; clypeus elevated; mandibles 

 of the female entire, of the male bidentate at the tip ; antennse of the 

 male reaching to the base of the abdomen; posterior tarsal claws of the 

 male alike; tarsal claws of the female armed with a slender and straight 

 tooth, which stands free from the claw ; apical segments of the male 

 abdomen unarmed, enclosure on the seventh segment broad ; externo- 

 medial nervure not abruptly bent back just beyond the origin of the 

 first recurrent nervure ; basaL lobe of the posterior wings extending 

 nearly to the apex of the submedial cell; scopa of the posterior legs in the 

 female long, thin, and finely plumose. 



The loose scopa seems particularly adapted to retain the large, spiny 

 globes which form the pollen of the pumpkin. In the blossoms of this 

 plant these bees delight to revel. 



SyNHALONIA n. g. (o-uv + dAwvt'a). 



Syn. Macrocera Lepel. (nee Latr.). 

 Syn. TetraJonia Smitli (nee Spin.). 

 Type : S. fiilvitarsis. 



Maxillary palpi six-jointed; first joint of the labial palpi twice as long 

 as the second; clypeus elevated (little elevated in alhata) ; labrum trans- 

 verse quadrate, notched in the middle; antennte of the male greatly 

 lengthened ; tip of the mandibles slightly notched or bidentate {acerha 

 and edwardsii excepted"?); apical segments of the male abdomen not 

 dentate (or in honesta and alhata the sixth segment armed with a small 

 tooth), the enclosure on the seventh segment narrow ; claws of the pos- 

 terior tarsi of the male ahke (excepting in edivardsU, which has the inner 

 claw longer than the outer, but its tooth of the same length as in the 

 outer claw) ; claws of the four posterior tarsi in the female armed with a 

 short and stout tooth, which ciu-ves away from the claw; externo-medial 



