2102 Insects. 



the mandibles ferruginous at their apex. Thorax, the tegulae and 

 nervures testaceous ; the wings hyaline, splendidly iridescent ; legs 

 black, frequently nigro-piceous, with the tarsi dark ferruginous. Ab- 

 domen very bright and shining ; the base of the two intermediate 

 segments laterally have a little short fine white pubescence ; the inci- 

 sion at the apex ferruginous. 



Male. — (Length 2^ to 3 lines). Bright metallic green ; the apex of 

 the clypeus pale yellow ; the antennae as long as the head and thorax, 

 fulvous beneath ; the scape black ; the apex of the mandibles ferru- 

 ginous ; the face and cheeks have a thin clothing of fine white pu- 

 bescence. Thorax, the tegulae piceous ; the wings as in the female. 

 Abdomen linear, nigro-aeneous, shining ; at the base of the two inter- 

 mediate segments, laterally, sometimes is a little fine short white pu- 

 bescence, frequently obliterated. 



I suspect that the Halictus viridis of St. Fargeau is the male of the 

 present species, but I hesitate to speak positively. This insect is ra- 

 ther local, but not rare about London. Mr. Kirby says the male has 

 no white hairs at the base of the intermediate segments ; but in recent 

 specimens it will be found that they have a little white pile, as in 

 aerata. 



Sp. 8. Halictus minutus, St. Fargeau. 

 Melitta minuta, Kirby. 



Female. — (Length 2j — 3 lines). Black ; head and thorax closely 

 and finely punctured ; the antennae fulvous beneath ; the mandibles 

 ferruginous at their apex. Thorax shining ; the metathorax rotun- 

 date; the tegulae piceous ; the nervures nigro-piceous ; the legs nigro- 

 piceous, their pubescence white ; the apical joints of the tarsi ferru- 

 ginous. Abdomen shining, very delicately punctured ; the margins of 

 the segments nigro-piceous ; beneath, the segments are ciliated with 

 fringes of long pale hair. 



Male. — (Length 2 — 2 j lines). Black ; the antennae as long as the 

 head and thorax, fulvous beneath ; the scape black ; the face clothed 

 with fine short white pubescence ; the apex of the clypeus pale yel- 

 low, as well as the mandibles towards the apex, which is ferruginous. 

 Thorax shining, punctured, not so closely as in the female ; the tegulae 

 piceous; the wings hyaline, iridescent; the apical joints of the tarsi 

 ferruginous. Abdomen linear, the intermediate segments slightly de- 

 pressed at their base. 



Some of the small specimens of the female of H. punctulata very 



