CENTRIS grossa. 
265 
blue, very glossy, notwithstanding a few scattered 
black hairs ; abdomen nearly of the same brilliant 
hue as the thorax ; the underside with a greater 
mixture of blue ; legs black and hairy ; wings brown. 
A native of Jamaica ; nearly allied to Centris 
versicolor of Fabricius, which also inhabits the west 
Indian Islands. 
XYLOCOPA VIOLACEA. 
Plate XX. Fig. 3. 
Fab. Reaumur, Donor. Indian Insects, 
This genus contains a very conspicuous group of 
insects, somewhat resembling humble-bees, but their 
colours are much darker, and never distributed in 
bands ; the body much Hatter, and the whole contour 
different. The wings are usually very dark, and reflect 
brilliant tints of violet and copper ; and although the 
body is in most cases black, it often presents a fine 
play of purple or green. The eyes arc large, and some- 
times approximating behind, but always rather distant 
from each other; head narrower than the thorax, broad 
and depressed ; proboscis rather short ; exterior palpi 
six-jointed ; interior two-jointed ; antennas strongly 
geniculated ; upper wings with three complete cubital 
cells, the first intersected by a slender transparent line, 
the second triangular, the third largest, and receiving 
the two recurrent nervures. Nearly all of them 
are extra-European and inhabiting the very warmest 
regions. Among the few exceptions to this, is the 
species referred to above which occurs in various parts 
of Europe, and naturalists accordingly have often 
