2170 Insects. 



pale fulvous, as well as the marginal fringe on the apical margins be- 

 neath. 



Male. — (Length 3 lines). Black ; the head as wide as the thorax, 

 the face thinly clothed with short white pubescence ; antennae as long 

 as the head and thorax ; the nose black. Thorax punctured, the 

 punctures not very close, the pubescence hoary ; the metathorax ro- 

 tundate ; the tegulae pale rufo-piceous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent ; 

 the nervures rufo-piceous ; the anterior and intermediate tibiae at their 

 extreme base, the posterior at their base and extreme apex, and all 

 the tarsi, luteous ; claws rufescent. Abdomen linear, smooth and 

 shining, with a few scattered punctures ; the second, third and fourth 

 segments, laterally, have at their basal margins a small patch of white 

 pubescence. 



The female of this species is the Melitta laevigata of Kirby. I be- 

 lieve Mr. Thwaites was the first to discover the affinity of the sexes. 

 I have since taken them on several occasions in company. This bee 

 is rather local, and not one of the most abundant species. I have 

 seen specimens captured in Scotland, also in the Isle of Wight, so 

 that it is doubtless scattered over the country. 



Sp. 20. Halictus fulvicornis. 

 Melitta fulvicornis, Kirby. 



Male. — (Length 3j lines). Black; the lower portion of the face 

 clothed with short white pubescence ; above the base of the antennae 

 the pubescence is thin, and stained with yellow ; antennae rather 

 longer than the thorax, rufo-piceous above, rufo-fulvous beneath ; 

 scape black. Thorax closely punctured ; metathorax truncate ; tegu- 

 lae piceous ; the wings hyaline, iridescent ; the nervures nigro-piceous ; 

 all the tibiae at their extreme base and apex yellow ; all the tarsi yel- 

 low ; the claws ferruginous. Abdomen linear, very smooth and 

 shining ; the intermediate segments slightly depressed, and having at 

 their lateral basal margin a little patch of white pile. 



This species is not frequently met with ; it occurs, however, about 

 London, but I do not know the other sex : it resembles the male of 

 the preceding species, but it has a white nose, which is also more 

 produced, and the thorax much more minutely and closely punctured. 

 It may possibly be the male of II. malachurus. 



