Beautiful Exotic Bees. 337 



all the exotic bees of the genus Xylocopa are remarkably hand- 

 some. A new species from India, figured at No. 5 in the plate, 

 is perhaps handsomer than the one just described. It is true 

 that the unusually slender and elongated body is entirely black, 

 but then the wings exhibit the most gorgeous iridescent colours 

 that can be conceived. They are of a reddish tawny bronze at 

 the ends, getting redder towards the centre, where the red sud- 

 denly but softly blends into a rich metallic green, followed by 

 a portion of rich deep blue, which in its turn becomes violet 

 at the base of the wings. This species has not yet been named, 

 but some such name as iridipennis, rainbow- winged, might not 

 be inappropriate in allusion to their rich prismatic effect, and 

 at the same time showing its affinity to an allied species which 

 has been recently named fulgidipennis, or fulged-winged. 



Centris flavopicta, No. 1 in the plate, is a very beautiful bee 

 belonging to another genus. It is one of the many fine insects 

 recently received from an energetic collector on the banks of 

 the river Amazon. This is another new species which, though 

 named, has never before been figured. It is indebted for its 

 specific name to the subdued yellow tone of the abdomen and 

 legs — the latter being finely painted or marked with patches of 

 dark brown. 



OxEea flavescens, No. 2 in the plate, is a remarkably bril- 

 liant insect, to which no engraving or painting can do the 

 slightest justice. The abdomen is of the richest metallic orange, 

 of the greatest richness, but entirely without gloss, striped 

 transversely with bands of pale glittering yellow, which have 

 the appearance of positive bands of the most highly burnished 

 pale gold. 



No. 3, Euglossa analis, is one of the pretty and gaily- 

 coloured small bees of the Brazilian forests, which have been 

 often described before ; but few of the more recently discovered 

 species surpass this one in brilliant metallic tinting. No. 8, 

 Euglossea Brunei is another species of the same genus; as 

 well as No. 7, Euglossa violacea, the rich violet colour of which 

 offered the artist a tempting contrast to the orange and yellow 

 tones of the other specimens, or, as a third well-known species 

 of Euglossa, it would hardly have found a place in our plate. 



There is, however, yet another species of Euglossa which 

 claims a place, not only on account of its beauty, but also for 

 its novelty — being a very recently discovered species., and 

 one never figured till it made its appearance in the present 

 plate. This exquisite insect, to which the most highly-finished 

 representation would do but scanty justice, was purchased from 

 a rich collection of Brazilian insects lately received. It has 

 been distinguished by Mr. F. Smith, the well-known author 

 of the Museum Catalogue of Hymenoptera, by the appropriate 



