Family Apidæ.
Genus Megachile, Latr.
Megachile hedleyi, sp. nov.

(Plate i., fig. 5.)

Long. 11 mm., lat. 4 mm.

Expanse of anterior wings—Long. 7 mm., lat. 3 mm.

Expanse of posterior wings Long. 5 mm., lat. 2 mm.

page 94

Head, forehead, and cheeks black, clothed with cinerous pubescence; head closely and finely punctured; occilli prominent; antennæ black; labrum black, closely and finely punctured; ligula and mouth parts ferruginous. Thorax black, finely and closely punctured, sparingly clothed with cinerous pubescence. Abdomen cordate, dorsal surface black, segments fringed with short black hairs; anterior extremity sparingly furnished with short cinerous pubescence, and posterior extremity with black; sides clothed with ferruginous pubescence; ventral surface black, clothed with long reddish hairs, except at posterior extremity where the hairs are shorter and black. Breast black, finely and closely punctured; a few short cinerous hairs are distributed over its surface. Legs black; coxæ and underside of each ambulatory limb clothed with short cinerous hairs; underside of tibiæ and tarsi ferruginous. Wings dark fuscous; veins and nervures black.

Two specimens.

I have very great pleasure in dedicating this species to my esteemed friend and colleague, Mr, Charles Hedley.