98 AKDKEKTD^. 



little white pubescence at the lateral basal margins of the second 

 and third segments. B.M. 



Male. — Head and thorax bright green, the apex of the clypeus, 

 labrnm, and mandibles pale yellow ; the nagellum pale fulvous 

 beneath. Thorax, the tegulae rufo-piceous ; the wings hyaline, 

 splendidly iridescent ; the legs nigro-piceous ; all the tarsi and the 

 base of the tibiae pale yellow, the claws ferruginous. Abdomen 

 black, elongate-ovate, thinly covered with short griseous pu- 

 bescence ; the apical margins of the three basal segments depressed. 



BM, 



A careful examination of the typical specimen in the Kirbyan 

 collection shows that a few additional points of description are desi- 

 rable. The legs are not black, but dark brown ; the extreme base, as 

 well as the apex, of all the tibiae is pale testaceous, the tibiae being 

 lighter-coloured than the femora. The labrum and mandibles are 

 also yellow, the latter being dark at their base. These particulars 

 are not noted in Kirby's description. The female is like H. ceneus, 

 but has a rounder head, and has the clypeus much less produced, and 

 the thorax is not so finely and closely punctured, and the metathorax 

 is more sharply truncate. My descriptions are from a pair taken in 

 coitu. The insect is not so common as any of the other small 

 Halicti. It occurs in the London district; and Mr. Bridgman 

 found it near Norwich. 



25. Halictus laevis. 



H. ater, pallido villosulus, capite thoraceque punctulatis ; abdomine 

 laevi, nitidissimo. 



Halictus lsevis, St.-Farg. Hym. ii. 277. 



Smith, Zool. vi. 2104 ; Bees Great Brit. 40 ; Entomol. iv. 265. 



Nyland. Notis. ur Stilish, pro Faun, et Flo. Fenn. ii. 245. 



Thorns. Hym. Scand. ii. 142. 

 Melitta laevis, Kirby, Mon. Apum Angl. ii. 65 $ • 



Female. Length 3| lines. — Black ; the head and thorax closely 

 punctured, the punctures on the thorax strong but not very close ; 

 a little scattered fulvous pubescence on the face and disk of the 

 thorax ; on the sides of the latter it is more dense ; the tegulse pale 

 testaceous; the wings hyaline, having a slight fulvous tinge, the 

 nervures pale testaceous ; the legs rufo-testaceous, their pubescence 

 pale fulvous, that on the tarsi beneath pale fulvous, the tarsi ferru- 

 ginous ; the metathorax rugose. Abdomen ovate, widest towards 

 the apex, very glossy, smooth, and impunctate, the apical segments 

 having a short pale pubescence ; beneath, the margins of the seg- 

 ments have a fringe of pale pubescence. 



There are two specimens of this species in the Kirbyan collection, 

 the type being in a perfect condition. The abdomen is very smooth 

 and glossy. Even with the aid of a Coddington lens, no punctures 



