THE METALLIC-COLORED HALXCTINE BEES OF 
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 
By T. D. A. Cockerell 
Of the University of Colorado 
The subfamily Halictinse, numerously represented in almost 
every part of the world, contains groups of species in which the 
surface of the body is black, brown, or yellowish, and others in 
which portions, at least, are metallic green or blue. The large 
genus Halictus, as generally understood, contains both metallic 
and nonmetallic species. In the Holarctie Region, Robertson 
has separated the metallic species as genera Chloralictus Robert- 
son and Seladonia Robertson. He also recognizes, in North 
America, genera DiaMctus Robertson (with only two submar- 
ginal cells) and Paralictus Robertson. How many such genera 
should be segregated from the old Halictus, it is hard to decide ; 
and certainly the Robertsonian groups are less distinct than the 
genera commonly recognized among bees. The French entomol- 
ogist Vachal went as far from current usage on the other side 
and not only refused to accept Robertson’s genera, but threw into 
Halictus such genera as Augochlora and Agapostemon, almost 
universally considered distinct. The genus Nomioides Schenck, 
placed as a subgenus of Halictus by Dalla Torre, must be con- 
sidered a distinct genus. Its members are small, usually with 
conspicuous yellow markings, almost perfectly imitating the 
American panurgine genus Perdita. Yet the venation is like 
that of Halictus, except that the marginal cell is narrowly trun- 
cate at the end. These bees are so unlike the species of Halictus 
that Cameron described several of them in Ceratina. Thus my 
Nomioides comberi from India must be called N. punjab crisis 
(Cam.) ; for Meade-Waldo, on examining Cameron’s types, found 
that his Ceratina punjabensis, published about four years ear- 
lier, was in fact my insect. It also appears that Ceratina cerea 
Nurse is to be called Nomioides pulchella Schenck or, according 
to the synonymy indicated by Alfken, N. parvula (Fabricius). 
Genus UOMIOIBES Schenck 
Mesothorax green „ 1. 
Mesothorax steel blue, highly polished 2. 
1. Larger; abdomen with four entire yellow bands; mesothorax 
duller dapitanellus Cockerell. 
Smaller; abdomen with four (varying to two) lateral yellow marks, 
representing two widely interrupted bands; mesothorax more shin- 
ing valdezi Cockerell. 
9 
