MELITTIA. — STNTOMIS. 
43 
descriptions of the new species. 
.^:geriid^. 
Melittia dorsatiformis. (Plate CXXXIX. fig. 21.) 
Expanse 1-^^ inch. 
Male. Margins and veins black ; apical border very narrow, speckled with a few purple- 
grey scales ; apical transparent area very large and nearly round, traversed by four veins and 
partly by the subcostal upper nervule ; basal area traversed by median vein only ; cilia of 
both wings brown ; abdominal margin of hind wing fringed with golden hairs : head and 
antennte black, the latter golden brown below ; palpi white in front, black on sides and 
behind ; thorax black in front, Avith a steel-blue collar, hind part golden yellow ; abdomen 
black above, with narrow white segmental bands and golden hairs, beneath yellow : fore legs 
black, coxa white, femur and tibia golden in front ; mid-legs black, coxa white in front, femur 
with two steel-blue bands, tibia clothed with golden hairs behind ; hind legs, coxa black, wdth 
golden hairs behind, femur golden chestnut with long whitish hairs behind, tibia clothed with 
long black hairs, a few golden-brown and white ones near the base, and some steel-blue scales 
at the joint. 
Nearest to M. ?iepcha, Moore, from which it differs principally in the larger and rounder 
apical area and the colour of the legs. 
This species is so excellent a mimic of the common Indian Rock-Bee {Apis dorsata), that 
the oidy difference a close observer can detect when they are feeding at the same flower is the 
" paddling " of the thick hind legs of the moth to steady itself before the flower. 
ZYGiENIDiE. 
Syntomis gelatina. (Plate CXXXIX. fig. 1.) 
Expanse 1 inch. 
Female. Head, thorax, and abdomen brownish black ; collar, first and fifth segments of 
abdomen orange, two lateral spots on pectus and three on each side of abdomen of the same 
colour ; antennae black, white-tipped above ; legs black, mid and hind pairs with a white band 
on the tibia : wings brownish black, the hyaline areas slightly ochreous with metallic 
reflections ; these areas as in S. libera, Walker, but larger in proportion, especially on the 
hind wing, which Las only a narrow black border. 
Near S. cvpreipenvis, Butler, from which it chiefly differs in having no white spot on 
the frons. Also near S. yodarti, Bois., the apical hyaline spots of the fore wing smaller and 
placed further from the apex, and also lacking the white frons of that species. 
