102 SOUTHERN GALTFORNIA ACADEMY (OF SGIENGES 
ereyish-white pubescence, often abraded; segments five and 
six with the pubescence mostly ochreous; the abdomen appears 
pruinose, but not banded; apical plate with the lateral margins 
concave; hair of venter pale reddish. A rather inconspicuous 
little species, not much like anything known to me. 
Hab.—Los Angeles, Calif., two; Redondo, Calif., one, all 
collected by Dr. Davidson. Named after Dr. R. E. C. Stearns, 
the veteran naturalist of Los Angeles. 
Melissodes intermediella, n. sp. 
Female. Length 10 mm. or slightly less; pubescence pale 
greyish or greyish-white; the broad bands of appressed hair on 
abdominal segments 2 to 4 white, not in the least ochreous; 
mesothorax shining and sparsely punctured, its hind part 
in the middle, and the dise of scutellum, covered with black 
hair; hair on inner side of basal jomt of hind tarsi brown- 
black; hind knee-plate very short; pleura with long white hair; 
tegule with a tuft of pale hair; second submarginal cell very 
broad, receiving the recurrent nervure beyond the middle, but 
not near the end; flagellum, except at base, dark red beneath; 
vertex without black hair; facial quadrangle broader than 
long, but not excessively broad. 
This is the so-called M. intermedia, Cresson, of the Mesilla 
Valley, New Mexico. By reason of the black hair of the apex 
of the abdomen, it cannot be the true intermedia. An account 
of its maxillary palpi is given in Annals and Magazine of Na- 
tural History, Oct. 1903, p. 448. It is closest to M. humilior, 
Ckll., of which it may possibly prove to be a variety, but the 
evidence now available suggests that it is distinct. A specimen 
from Los Angeles, Calif. (Davidson) must be referred to M. 
intermediella. It is remarkable for the very shiny vertex, the 
brighter red of the under side of the flagellum, and the hind 
margins of the first three abdominal segments broadly reddish- 
brown. It is possible that it may be separated as a local race, 
but this cannot be determined without more material. 
M. intermediella, var. catalinensis, n. var. 
A female collected by Dr. Davidson on Catalina I., Calif., 
has much black hair on vertex, and the hair of the anterior part 
of the mesothorax has a decided ochreous tint. . The abdominal 
bands also have an ochreous tint, and the stigma and nervures 
are black or nearly so. The wings are dusky, considerably 
darker than in the type. The flagellum, except at base, is 
bright ferruginous beneath. The hind margin of the first ab- 
dominal segment is very narrowly brown, but the margins of 
the second and third are black. This may be a distinct species. 
